Salmon Run: CONFIDENTIAL
by KingKamina
Summary: Cayden, once the leader of Splatisfaction, endlessly does Salmon Run. His team were once considered the best Salmon Runners since it began. Now, they're gone. What happened to them? Why does Cayden only do Salmon Run? A young girl curiously hears his confessions on the truth. Only to discover that Grizzco and Salmon Run has dark secrets. Secrets that are as deep as the ocean.
1. Chapter 1: Salmon Runner

"Whew! That that run was awesome! Those Salmonid are tough! Right Amy?"

"Aww that was nothin', Jimmy. So you doin' anything Cora?"

"I was going to get myself a giant Galactic Seanwich. You two wanna come to the Crust Bucket with me?"

"Sure! Your buying!"

"Get it yourself you bum!"

I walk pass those kids. All three look at me like I'm dangerous. Funny. I saved their cornered butts from three Steelheads and two Steel Eels with a handful of Cohocks. And I did it with a Splatterscope. Whatever. I'm not doing this job to get respect.

"Hey." the girl named Cora asks. "Cayden, right?"

I shot a glare at her. I was able to startle the girl. That Jimmy guy gets defensive.

"Wanna come to the Crust Bucket with us?" she asks.

I stared at her for a bit and I just kept on walking to pick up my rewards.

"Hey you jerk!" shouts the girl named Amy. "At least have the decency to answer her!"

"Leave him alone Tam. He's not worth it. That's CayZshootr."

"Who?"

I ignore them and went straight to the kiosk. I bang on the window and out pops my rewards.

"I looked him up online. He's that crazy squid who keeps doing Salmon Runs, even after his first twelve rewards are done. Doesn't participate none of the games and never goes to Splatfests. Always wears the Grizzco uniform wherever he goes. He's super famous in the Salmon Run forums." said Jimmy.

"You gotta be kiddin' me. It's just a job y'know!" said that Amy girl.

After I get done trading gear in for cash I stomp towards her. More furious than the angriest Salmonid. I grabbed her by the hoodie.

"IT IS NOT A DAMN JOB! IT'S A NECESSITY! IF NOT FOR ME THE SALMONIDS WOULD KILL US ALL!" That Amy girl shoves me. I throw off the gloves and we get ready to fight, until that Cora girl pulled her away.

"Amy no! Just forget it and let's go." Amy straightens her shirt. The three kids walked away.

"Geez, he's not just crazy. He's a complete psycho!"

Yeah. Yeah that's right. I'm crazy. If they actually saw what I saw and have night terrors about it, they'd be crazy too. I walked to Grizzo for the next job.

"Hey there kid. How's it hangin'" said Grizzo. The wooden bear statue he speaks out of always annoyed me. Squids always debate whether Grizzo is actually speaking to us 24/7 or just a recording since he repeats a lot of things word for word.

"Shut up and give me a job Grizzo."

"Comon kid. Ya gotta relax a bit. Gettin' a job ready takes time."

"Then hurry up! I ain't got all day!"

"Kid. You alright? Yer acting a bit tense. Sit down and relax. Get a candy bar from the vending machine."

"Get me a job! You always had a job for me on the fly! Why the heck is it taking so long this time!?"

"Kid. I'm bein' serious here. Calm yerself down."

"JUST GET ME JOB!" I couldn't control myself as I punch the wooden bear. The statue breaks in three. I see the squids standing outside staring at me. The ones that were about to come in for a job turned and walked away.

"Sorry kid. I'm gonna have ta ask you ta leave." the broken speaker in the wooden bear still worked. I almost smirked at that.

"You think you can have these "profreshionals" do this job Grizzo? They don't have what I got. They're scrubs compared to me."

"One more word outta you and your banned."

"Maybe I should talk about what happened at Rusty Rig. Maybe even throw in that little secret about what actually happened to Sarah?"

Got a good long pause from Grizzo. He knows if that any secret gets out, every part timer is gonna bail. And we can't have that.

"Cayden. Gonna ask you one last time. Go. Home. Else I'm gonna have ta call the police. Yer future here is bright. Don't throw out and let it sink into the locker."

I spat on the floor and walked the heck out of there. Looks like he called out my bluff. I know the actual importance of keeping the horrible truth a secret. If the Inklings ever find out, we're screwed. There would be more Salmonids than we can splat. I walk to Crusty Seans and order myself a drink. His cheery demeanor doesn't make my day. I saw those kids again. They gave me that look of dislike and quickly started talking about whatever. I got my shake from Sean and lay on the wall near the Shoal.

Before I knew it, it was sundown and I have a big stack of empty cups. I spent literally all my drink tickets at the Bucket. Geez. I drank way too much. My gut's full of shake and I really need to pee. While going to the bathroom, I found out that I had two more ticket for a shake crumpled in my pocket full of receipts. Screw it. I haven't used these for an entire year and I probably won't be using them again anytime soon. I should probably use my meal tickets too. I'm really hungry. I just remembered that all I ate today was a slice of toast.

I went back to the Bucket only to notice that everyone went home and Sean's starts looking around to see if he should close. I walked up to him.

"Wut up squiddo!" he shouts with the same old vigor. I just slap my tickets on the counter and ordered the orange and melon shake, two regular Shwaffles, and three Galactic Seanwiches to go. He gave me what I wanted in a plastic bag and was about to walk off. That is until I run into that Cora girl.

"Umm. Hi." she awkwardly blurts out. I just stared at her. She was all flustered and embarrassed. Maybe even a little scared. "Uh….Umm."

I just kept on walking. Didn't really care what she had to say.

"Whydoyouonlydosalmonsuns?!" she blurts.

"What?" I ask as I stop walking. She takes a deep breath.

"Why do you only do Salmon Runs?" she asks. I sighed and told her to follow me to the train station. We stayed silent throughout walk to the train station.

"Umm. Where we going?" she asks. I just stayed silent and continue to wait for the 8 o'clock train. When the train finally came and open its doors, I walked in. Cora seemed hesitant to walk in. The doors close and she made her decision too late to follow me. I caught both doors in time to let her in. She quickly dives under my arms, but bumps her head on a seat. I just sat down as she rubbed her head. We rode in awkward silence as I played Squid Jump on my phone. We arrived at my stop at 8:20 as usual. Eventually, we make it to Inkblot Academy. Here, everyone is allowed to use the seats and tables at the cafeteria until 10pm.

I wolfed down a Seanwich in front of the girl. She stared at it hungrily. I took a carryout box holding my extra Seanwich.

"Want one?" I ask her.

"N-no! I really shou-" and then her stomach growls. Really loudly. Her face is red as a lobster. What is this an anime? I opened the takeout box and tossed it to her. I then give her my melon shake and a Shwaffle.

"Just eat it you idiot." I said. She nods and we eat our meal.

We sit there in awkward silence again. Most of the squids in the area left. In all honesty, I needed them to leave. All of them stared at me and my getup. I heard their jeers and snickering on how not fresh my clothes are. Even going as far as to say its rotten. Can't blame them. I've been wearing this uniform for nearly an entire year.

It's quiet. To the point where we only heard the boatman bugs. I get up to take a walk and the girl follows me. We silently keep on walking until we reach the pond. Luckily, no matches were happening here at this time. I sit on the pond's edge and stare at its clear, reflective waters. Remembering good times. Cora sits next to me. It took me a while to finally answer that question she asked me.

"I do Salmon Runs to protect the world." she looks at me with a perplexed look.

"That can't be the only reason." she says.

"It is the only reason, but it's a whole lot deeper than you think."

"What do you mean?"

"You're a profreshional right?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm way more than that. You know how Grizzco is closed on certain days?"

"Yeah?"

"I work full time on those days."

"But I thought the Salmonids don't come on those days."

"That's a big fat lie Grizzco likes to tell everyone." I pause for a moment. I felt like I already told her too much. I'm not only risking the sanctity of my job, but the world's safety. But it's just too much. I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"The Salmonids are spawning more and more everyday. Not just the Lesser Salmonids, Bosses too. They're popping up as fast as the Lessers. It's my job to at least keep it down."

"But why the secrecy?"

"To keep the public from panicking. That the Salmonids are more than a problem; that they are an actual danger. If that fact doesn't prevent the kids from coming, it sure as heck would make the parents stop them. Besides, I don't just stop Boss Salmonids. I stop something WAY worse than Bosses."

"Octarions? Octoweapons?" she asks.

"No. Way worse. Saijus."

"Saijus?" she says "What are they?"

I...I don't why, but I stood up. Just by hearing that word reminds me of the horror I faced multiple times. So many times. I hear Grizzo screaming that word and I see that thing slowly rise from the depths. I remember how Sarah was shrieking in pain as it step on her. How my sense of logic on how the life rings prevents Salmonids from hurting us fail completely. I actually wanted to tell Cora about the Saijus, but I start panicking. This is the first time I've ever talked about them

Suddenly, a Saiju rose from the pond. It's webbed claws scraping against the concrete. I tried to calm my breathing, but I couldn't control it. I was suffocating like a fish out of water. My lungs shake, my guts, my hands shake in fear as I find my weapons. The Saiju's glowing red eyes looked straight at me. I hear Sarah's blood curdling shriek again. Out of fear I crawled backwards to the steel wall. I see the thing stepping on the steel floors as I heard it bend under the monsters weight. My chest beats like a jackhammer as it begins to hurt. I shut my eyes. Telling myself it's only a dream. It's not happening. It's not real. Over and over again telling myself it's not real. But all I could think is this is how I die.

Finally I snapped back awake. Everything is normal. The pond was fine. Reflecting only the moon and stars. Cora's hugging me. She noticed that I'm back in reality. She then hugged my head onto her chest.

"Shhh. It's okay. It's okay. It's alright now." I actually cried a bit. I forgot how much comfort a friend can bring. Geez, I miss my friends. I should've quit. I should've listen to Leo and quit. Or quit when Nadine. Why didn't I quit with them? Doesn't matter now. Right now, I just want to feel safe and at peace.


	2. Chapter 2: A Shadow of Splatisfaction

After that little episode of mine, I told Cora I'd see her later.  
"Are you going to be okay?" she said. I looked away from her.  
"Yeah. Yeah. I'll be fine. See you later."  
"Before you go. Can we trade numbers?" I couldn't help but think this girl's weird. I should just say no, but I agreed. We gave each other our numbers and head on our way. Just like that. I honestly felt like a burden lifted from my shoulders. Kinda like in a tv show or an anime. I wished it were though. That stuff always have happier endings. Especially to survivors like me.  
When I arrived to my apartment, I went to unlock my door, only to find out that it was already unlocked. I know for a fact I locked my door, so I slowly walk in. In my umbrella rack, I have a wooden and a metal baseball bat in case of someone trying to come in. I slowly, with a wooden bat, walk down the hallway. I notice that my lights in the kitchen are on. I put my back against the wall. There was a man in a suit.  
"Come in Cayden. I'm here on behalf of Grizzco. Also, don't bother fighting back." Another man in a suit came out of my room and stood behind me.  
"What do you want?" I ask him.

"We at Grizzco are concerned about your recent behavior Cayden."

"And what might that be?"

"Punching Mr. Grizz's statue, yelling at him, and also making threats about that secret you agreed on never telling with multiple people in earshot."

"I wasn't going to. I just wanted a quick job. Empty threats. That's all it is."

"And we understand that Cayden. We just want to make sure you won't do anything bad. Remember, Grizzco's owns this apartment and Grizzco is allowing you to live here. We can easily kick you out for violating the contract."

'Yeah, yeah. Fine. Now get out of my house." The suit stared at me. He gets up and walks towards my door. He stops to say one last thing.  
"Remember Cayden. We really do have your best interests at heart. Please refrain from doing anymore reckless actions."And just like that, both of these goons leave my house. I took a breath and head for the showers. While I wait for the shower to get hot, I start thinking to myself.

"Geez, Grizzco could've kicked me out in the streets. Never thought he'd be angry enough to go as far as to send goons after me. Lately, Grizzo's been slow while setting up Salmon Runs for me lately. He would always have one ready for me on the fly. Has the Salmon tides been calmer? No, that can't be it. Salmonids spawn a few hundred of themselves a day; not including Boss Salmonids. Even a good team can't take out that many."

It's been a long night and the last thing I should be thinking about is anything involving Grizzco and Salmon Run. I do start thinking about Cora. What is up with her? Why would she hang out with a messed up guy like me? These questions ran around my head.

( **Next day)**

Just got done with 39 rounds of Salmon Run. Won more than half of them. If it wasn't for certain idiots who never lure Boss Salmonids near the basket. Or the ones who kill Boss Salmonids thirty feet away with a horde in between the Golden Eggs and the basket. Salmon Run was now over and Grizzco shuts its gates. I did the usual one two and got my rewards. The sun was setting and colored Inkopolis Square a pretty orange. I turn from the corner to see Cora leaning against the Ammo Knights's building. I kinda looked away from her. I noticed she did the same. Again with the awkwardness between us. It's almost too much. I broke the silence with a hi. She said hello back.

"I was just wondering if…" she then mumbles the rest of her sentence.

"What?" I ask.

"Are you alright?" I don't know why, but I got really mad at her.

"I told you last time I'm fine. I don't want to talk about my job, Saijus, or my life. I don't want to play patient and psychiatrist. Also, I don't need your concern. Now leave me alone."

"I-I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry." She then ran away looking ashamed. I went to the train station for a ride home. While staring at the sunset, I start thinking about Cora. I felt like a real jerk. My guilt only took a tiny nibble and I decided to call her. It distracted me to the point where I accidently missed my stop.

"Cayden?!"

"Uhh. Hi."

"Umm, did you want me to stop calling you?" Geez. Did I give her that kind of impression of me?

"Look, I'm…..sorry. I'm not used to being with other people anymore. My job puts me under a lot of stress. Ahh crud, what am I saying. That's no excuse."

"No it's alright! I understand. Talking about that stuff is sensitive."

"Sure, but that doesn't really excuse my behavior. Especially after you helped me out."

"It's okay. Really! You don't have to-" suddenly she came through the train doors. We stared at each other in surprise and we hung up our phones. She asks if she can sit next to me. I said sure and we start talking.

"Cayden, do you still keep in contact with your old friends?" I look at her all perplex.

"I asked my friend Jimmy more about you. He said you were part of a team. Splatisfaction?" I got really uncomfortable really fast. Cora notices almost instantly.  
"I-I'm so sorry. You don't have to talk about it if it bothe-"

"No. No. It's fine. No I don't have any contact with them anymore. They all left and it didn't end well." We sat in silence for a bit until I work up the nerve to tell her more.

"We were the best Salmon Runners. THE best Salmon Runners. Leo, Nadine, Sarah, and me. Leo was a hot head, but his heart's always in the right place. And my friend/Leo's girlfriend Sarah; sweet, bubbly, and always positive no matter what. A whole opposites attract between them. Then there's Nadine, my old girlfriend." I had to stop for a moment. Never thought I'd bring up Nadine again. I took a deep breath and pressed on.

"We would watch animes, romance dramas, movies, and have fun with each other. She was my best friend. I loved her and she loved me." Wrapping myself up with all this nostalgia made me smile a little.

"The four of us together became Splatisfaction. Our motto was, 'We splat until we're satisfied.'Back in the beginning of Salmon Run, we were also the most popular team. We figured everything out about the game. Strategies and communication happened naturally with the four of us. We beat Hazard Level MAX multiple times, because of it. It was our favorite thing to do. I still remember Splot Magazines did a cover on us. Heck, I remember Inkblot Times did a three pages on us. We were on top of the world. That was until Rusty Rig happened."

I paused for a moment. I ask myself again if I should tell her anything about what happened. I said to myself, screw it, and continued on.

"We were so good that Grizzo actually gave Splatisfaction a special pass to test out a brand new area for Salmon Run."

"Grizzo?" she asks."It was a nickname Sarah came up with for Mr. Grizz. He didn't seem to mind it and it kind of stuck. Anyway. This new area was called Rusty Rig. It was an ancient oil rig made by the humans. That place was great. So many walls to climb and a lot of shortcuts. We dealt with the hordes of Salmonid easily and it was the most fun we have ever had. Those were good times. That was until... that day. The day that ruined everything forever."

( **One year ago)**

"WOOO! Rusty Rig is awesome!" I shout on top of my lungs.

"You got that right bro! Can't believe there's actually a second floor we can climb up the walls to!" Leo says with a big grin as we did our hand shake.

"We splat til we're satisfied!" said Nadine as she gives me a smooch.

"And that's the way Splatisfaction lives!" Leo said as he high fived her.

"This place is fresher than fresh! Somebody needs to make up a new word for this!" said Nadine.

"How's my cuttlelyfish doing?" I said as I return my smooch.

"Stop it Cayden! Not in front of the pufferfish." Nadine giggled.

"Hey!" Leo shouts. Going from 0 to 100 as always. "I'm no pufferfish!"

"Pufferfishes puff up when they're mad. Just like you." me and Nadine laugh as Leo fumes at us.

"Hey hey everyone." Sarah said in her adorable voice. She comes up from the wall and jumps out of it in her squid form. Leo wraps his arms around her and gives her a smooch on the forehead. Sarah turns normal and gives him her adorably weird laugh that goes "hee hee hee"

"I wuv you Weo." she says as she hugs him. As usual, Leo gets all weak.

"So if Grizzo's done with us, what'll y'all wanna do later?" said Nadine.

"I wanna go to Wahoo World." Sarah asks.

"Wahoo World won't be open til next year." said Leo as Sarah moaned in extreme disappointment.  
"Skatepark?" Leo suggested.

"Nah. My skateboard is still in repair. The Arowana Mall?" Nadine said.

"Yay! Let's go shopping for clothes!" shouts Sarah.  
"Aww I don't wanna go shopping for clothes again! And we went to the mall hundreds of times!"

"Let's go to the Manta Maria." I suggested.

"Why do you always want to go the ship? It's like you have a love for it or something."

"I mean, it is pretty to look at the sky night time."

"Well whatever. We'll figure it out on the boat. Speaking of which." said Leo as he presses the button in his earpiece. "Yo Grizzo! Can we come onboard yet?!"

"Hold your seahorses kid. I'm fixin' my radar. It's actin' real buggy." Grizzo said. Sounded like he was grunting and moving stuff around.

"What's up Grizzo? You spilled a shake on the equipment again?" I said.

"No kid, my sensors and radars are picking up somethin' strange. My equipment's always and is still in tip top shape, but I'm still gettin' weird readings." Just then, the floors started to shake.

"Geez Grizzo! What's going on with this place?" Nadine shouts. "It's freaking unstable!"

"Impossible! My boys tested the stability of Rusty Rig. It shouldn't even be wobblin'."

The floor started shaking again. Violently this time. We held onto each other as we heard metal screeching. A clawed, webbed hand rose from below. It was as almost as big as the stage Pearl and Marina perform on during Splatfest. The hand slammed onto the platform, scraping the metal. It's like nails on a chalkboard only pumped to maximum volume. The hand pushed down to lift up a horrifying head five times the size of the hand. The monster's face looked like a Salmonid, but it had giant red eyes. Its pupils are an unsettling, glowing yellow. Both rows of its teeth are like shark teeth and are as long as two cars. Its breath reeks of rotting meat. It revealed its entire upper torso; covered with rusty, but thick barnacle covered metal plates. The plates looked like it belonged to a ship and looked as if it was poorly nail gunned into its body. Its back had jagged metal spikes embedded into its back. Everyone screams on top of their lungs. I just stare at the monster in horror. Completely unable to move.

"Let's get outta here!" Leo shouts. He and then Sarah tries to squid jump back to the boat. The monster reaches out with its other hand and… I didn't believe it, but I saw it. It slaps both Leo and Sarah down back on Rusty Rig like a volleyball. Leo and Sarah slam onto the floor so hard that they both actually splat. We thought they were dead, until the life ring popped out and their squid forms floated up. I take my Splattershot and quickly shoot Leo back to normal. Despite my save, he was still lying on the ground. To my surprise, he's actually injured. I try helping him up quickly, but he yelps in pain. Nadine too paralyzed from fear to save Sarah. The titanic creature lifts its entire body up onto the top floor. Its legs and feet like a T-Rex's, only more muscular. It had a long tail with a salmon fin at the end of it. Our horror it steps on Sarah's life ring. Sarah begins to shriek in horrible pain. Its foot popped her life ring and we see its foot crushing half of sweet Sarah's squid body. Her shriek of pain chilled me down to the bone. Leo screams in rage as he ran to her with his Dynamo Roller. He slams the roller down on the monsters feet. It barely seem to notice, but it "softly" kicks Leo as it sends him flying.

"Grizzo!" I shout. I was panicking. My hands are shaking. I could barely keep them still enough to press the earpiece button."Help! HELP! It's a monster! It's going to kill us! We can't squid jump back into the boat!"

"Hold on kid! I'm comin'! Just hang on!" I see the old boat drive towards us as fast as possible. The monster slowly turns its body towards Nadine. She sits there and gazes in terror with urine coming down her trousers. The creature then opens its long jaws and I hear a sickening gurgle coming from its throat. Almost instinctively I run towards Nadine and grab her out of that thing's line of sight. Whatever it's doing, it won't be good. We both made it by the skin of our tentacles when a enormous jet of ink fires out of its mouth. I held Nadine even though she wasn't responsive. Its jetstream of ink is like the Stinger, only bigger, stronger, and it actually destroys the metal floors. I then notice that it wasn't targeting Nadine. It's targeting the boat!

"GRIZZO! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" I shout. But I was too late. The monsters ray completely destroys the boat into nothing, but scrap metal. I have now seen firsthand the destructive power of this monster. This demon that the depths spawned.


	3. Chapter 3: To Splat A Demon

I bridal carry Nadine as the monster finishes its attack. No matter what I do, Nadine is completely unresponsive. We can climb down to the first floor through our ink, but Nadine won't be able to turn into her squid form. I'll be able to escape, but I'll have to abandon her and I am not doing that. I look at the water for a bit. I guess this is the only way. My only sliver of hope is that the Spawn Point on the boat is still in one piece and floating. The monster's done taking its break and now it looks at us. I decide to take this chance and walk off the edge.

"Cayden!" a voice shouts. A hand grabbed me by the shirt. Almost instinctively, I grab onto the arm before my shirt tears off completely. Thank goodness Grizzco uniforms are so tough. Any other shirt and whoever grabs my shirt would be holding it. I looked up to see who saved me. It's Leo and he's alright! He's hanging out on the first floor. Nadine almost slipped out of my arm. She quickly grabs my waist with all her might. Squeezing to a point where I feel like she was going to pop my guts out. Leo's arm was stretching out as he grits his teeth in pain. I grab the metal ledge to make it easier to pull us up. With a 1, 2, 3 pull, we were able to get back on the floor.

"Bro! You're okay!" I say in relief. Leo said nothing. He didn't even smile or have anything to say about me and Nadine's safety. Which reminded me, "Leo, where's Sarah?"

Leo turns his head and looks at Sarah behind him; who's wrapped up in Leo's shirt. Sarah is still in her squid form, but half of her body is crushed flat. I can even see blood oozing out. We have to find our way out of here.

"Cayden. I got a plan." Leo said to me with a serious look. "A plan to take that thing down."

"Let's hear it." I said.

"This'll sound crazy, but one of us will have to distract the Saiju."

"Distract?! Saiju?"

"The new Salmonid reminds me of a kaiju in one of those old movies. So, I'm calling it a Saiju. Back to the plan. One of us distracts the Saiju and takes it to the edge. The other takes Nadine and Sarah to the opposite side. Once they're safe, we both get back together. When it does its ray attack, we trick it by having it cut the floor under itself. The weight of the Saiju will collapse the floor and fall back into the ocean."

"That plan's stupid. Wouldn't the Saiju come right back up again?"

"If you got a better idea, let's hear it!" I didn't know what else to say

"Alright, Leo. Take care of Nadine for me." And immediately I swim up the beams and reveal myself to the Saiju. It stood near the middle of the entire platform and I was uncomfortably close to it. I swim away as it looks at me with its insane eyes. Brimming with blind hatred and rage. It starts slowly walking towards me. Each step felt like a short, mini earthquake. Its gross green ink pops from its feet with each step. I was scared to death, but I can't afford it. My friends lives are in my hands.

I shot all over the ground and cover as much as I could and continue the plan. The Saiju squats and attempts to claw at me. Its claws rends the floor. My heart was pounding like a jackhammer each time it swings. So many times did it nearly get me by the skin of my teeth. I just continue to distract it with my Splattershot and Splat Bombs. I was nearing the edge of the platform. Right when I thought we could do this, the Saiju brings its wide open jaw down. I jump out of the way in my squid form and almost jump right off the ledge. I quickly switch to my regular form and grab the ledge. I get back on, only to be greeted by the Saiju's claw swinging down at me. I tried to run and dodge, but too late. The Saiju cuts my left arm and leg off.

I look at my own severed leg and arm. Then at my stubs. My own blood squirted out on the ink. It was then the pain finally sets in. It hurts. It hurts. so much. I don't care if my limbs could grow back or not, it hurts so damn much. I scream on top of my lungs. The pain is excruciating. It's indescribable. I finally start crying. After all this pain and horror, I cry like I'm dying. The Saiju looked down on me with those hateful and unfeeling eyes. All my mind can think of is this. This is where I die.

"P-please. Please! Don't kill me! Oh geez! Please! I'm begging you! Please don't kill me! DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE! I'M BEGGING YOU! SOMEONE HELP ME! IT'S GOING TO KILL ME! I DON'T WANNA DIE! I DON'T WANNA DIE!" I cried like a baby. I was so scared that I couldn't do anything, but cry and scream like a child alone with no one.

"Hey ugly!" shouts Leo as he puts on his Inkjet. He flies through the air with his blaster now equipped. The Saiju actually turns around. Leo fires his blaster straight at the Saiju. The missile of ink smacks straight into its neck. No effect. The ink quickly leaks off its skin and metal plates. The Saiju does a low swings at Leo, which can still hit him at that height. Luckily, Leo presses the button that makes the Inkjet "jump" higher and the Saiju claw misses. Leo shoots the Saiju all over its body. No effect. Like me, Leo dodges all of the Saiju's attacks. He always is the master of the Inkjet. His Inkjet began to turn red. Leo was trying to move to the left side, so that the Saiju would be away from him when the Inkjet turns off and high jump back to his starting point. All of that was ruined when the Saiju gets a lucky swing in. Right before the Inkjet shuts down, the Saiju swings its claw. I see Leo flying in the air, blood covers his face. He fails in his landing by slamming down on the ground on his stomach. Leo rolls over for me to see his cut left eye. There are two large gashes was across his face. One across his eyebrows and one across both eyes. Blood flows down both of eyes as he screams of pain and terror.

"AHHH! My eyes! My….I- I can't see! Cayden! HELP ME! I CAN'T SEE!"

I stare in horror. Seeing my best friend, my bro, eyes scratched out. Blood is all over his face. I know what he feels. The horror of hopeless. The fear of death actually looming over you. I'm not sure whether to say he's lucky or unlucky he's blind. Seeing the Saiju looming over you would put a buttload fear inside anyone after it maims you.

I couldn't just lie there. I had to do something. My thoughts were racing on what to do and if Grizzo would be sending a rescue boat or a party if we're lucky. But I can't do that. Leo needed me. And not just Leo. I gotta do this for Sarah. For Nadine. Despite my crippled state, I force myself on my knee. I remembered that I have one last special I didn't use on our Salmon Run. The Saiju slowly walks towards Leo as I hurry to get my Sting Ray ready. Being one armed sucks while setting this up. That's when it hit me that this won't work. The Sting Ray needs to be fired with two hands and I need to stand to fire it right. If I shoot it now, I'll either stumble or miss enough times where the Sting Ray will run out of ink. I needed Leo right here and now. Leo screams for me and Sarah over and over again as he feels the Saiju walking. I set down my Sting Ray as I throw a Splat Bomb and fire a few shots on the floor to clear a path.

"Leo!" I shout.

"Cayden! Help me!" he screams as he rolls around.

"Leo! Calm down! Switch to squid form! Listen to the sound of my voice and come here!"

"Aw geez. I-I can't see. I don't even know-"

"Leo! For pete's sake calm down and come towards me! The Saiju's coming!" Leo in a panic does what I say. I keep shouting until he finally bumps right into me. He return to his normal form and holds onto me. The Saiju's coming at us at a sea cucumber's pace.

"Cayden! Aw geez! I wanna go home Cayden! I wanna go home!" I can hear the sobs in Leo's voice. I bite my glove off and took his off too. I held his hand for reassurance.

"Bro. I need you keep calm man. I'm gonna try this last ditch attempt. Hold onto this." I then give him my Sting Ray. Our time as Splatisfaction made us experts with our weapons. Leo stands and aims the Sting Ray as if he can still see. I force myself up to guide his hand. I aim for its head.

"Fire!" I said as Leo pulls the trigger. The ink ray shoots and grows bigger as it hits the Saiju straight on the forehead. It didn't work. If anything, it looks like it's pissing it off. Just as it takes another step, the ink ray hits its eye. It got bigger and bigger until finally, it pops like a balloon. The Saiju stumbles backwards as it comprehends what happened.

The Saiju roared like its in pain. It is in pain. We found its weaknees! We just have to aim for its eyes!

"Leo! We did it! It has a weakness! Its eyes!" Part of me wants him to say coolio, or crack an eye for an eye joke, but nothing. He grit his teeth as he holds onto the Sting Ray. The Saiju almost instantly fires its ray from its mouth. It was thin, but it still can cut through metal. It was aiming its ray at random, cutting off pieces of Rusty Rig like paper. It then cuts off a large chunk of the second floor that we were laying on and we fell onto the first floor.

We find Nadine holding Sarah in her squid form. Nadine is in full panic mode as the Saiju stomps around like a kid throwing a temper tantrum. Leo helps me up and I tell him to go straight. I try to call Nadine, but the roars of the Saiju deafen everything. Leo guessed where she was in order to get close to her, but she kicks him in the knee. I fall next to her only for her to freak out more when she sees my leg and arm stubs. I hug her despite her crazed state. I seem to have calm her down despite her punch to my face. Leo searches around for us until he touches Sarah. He holds onto her tentacle. We see the Saiju's ray cut the main support beam above us. It cut just enough for the entire second floor to finally give in and bend. We hear the screeching metal of the entire second floor tear itself under the weight of itself and the Saiju. Quickly it jumps onto the first floor as the second falls straight into the water. It then turns around to look at us with its one good eye. We watch as the Saiju opens its mouth and begins its sickening gurgling. We knew we were screwed. There was no way out. We close our eyes and wait for the end. That was until a jet of water fired straight into the Saiju's mouth. The Saiju stumbles back to the edge of the floor as it bends. We look under the floor to see that the jet of water came from a boat. It looks like Grizzo's boat with a weird water cannon slapped onto it.

"What're ya waitin' for?! An invite!? Hurry up and jump on!" Grizzo screams in our earpieces. Never in my life have I been so relieved to hear Grizzo's voice. Without hesitation, Nadine grabs me and Leo's arm as Leo held onto Sarah. We all jump and fall on top of the boat. The water cannon's power increases and Saiju falls into the ocean.

"You kids okay!?" Grizzo says in our earpieces.

"How the heck are you still alive!?" I shout.

"Remote controlled boats! Ya really think I got time to drive these personally?!" Just then, the Saiju sticks its head out of the water. It fires another ray at the boat. Grizzo floors it as he tries to get the boat away. The ray slices the top part of the boat. Cutting off the antenna, the bridge, and the water cannon. It then accidentally slices, the entire support of Rusty Rig. All of Rusty Rig begins to spin as it slides off. The Saiju tries to turn its ray to take out the entire boat, until the edge of the falling Rusty Rig falls on top of the monster. Its edge stabs straight into the Saiju's skull and splits it halfway. The Saiju sticks its hands up as it flails like a fish. It made noises that are disgusting and horrible to describe. Finally, the monster goes limp. It sinks back into the depths and the last of Rusty Rig with it. Its blood spreads and fades away into the boat's still okay and Grizzo took us away from our nightmare.

Grizzo takes us back to land. There, a medevac, an ambulance, and a team of paramedics waiting for us. Nadine's still in shock and Leo's holding Sarah. Sarah eventually turns back into her real form. It was so awful to look. Half her body is flat as a pancake. Her head was partially crushed too. Despite all that, she was still alive. If you can call it that.

The paramedics roll Sarah into the helicopter. Leo wanted to go with her, but the paramedics said an extra person would slow the chopper down and time is of the essence. The paramedics treated our wounds and wrapped Nadine in a shock blanket. Me and Leo were put on stretchers and put into the ambulance with Nadine. They hooked me up to an IV, telling me I lost a lot of blood and surprised that I'm not dead or unconscious. I try to reach out for Nadine, but she stares at nothing. I look over to Leo whose eyes are wrapped up.

"Hey Leo?" I said. "You gonna be okay?"

No answer. Leo just lay there squeezing the cushions of the stretchers. That was a stupid question anyways. We are NEVER gonna be okay. Splatisfaction will never be the same ever again.


	4. Chapter 4: A Deal I Didn't Refuse

Two months has passed since our battle with the Saiju. We spent all our time in the hospital rehabilitating. Everything was paid for by Grizzco, but our parents are still going to sue the crap out of company. I find it hard to believe that me and Leo's "parents" suddenly care about us. I know better. I know they're only using us as an excuse to get a lotta money from Grizzco.

It took a month for my arm and leg to grow back. Never in my life have I felt so uncomfortable. Sadly, I needed to spend a month exercising and control them. Newly grown limbs have no muscle mass and the nerves need to get used to being used.

Leo. Well. The good news is Leo was only blind for a month. The bad news is his left eye is gone. It was so badly damaged and infected that the doctors had to remove it. Worse news is unlike my limbs, his eye ain't growing back. He wanted to be left alone when he heard the news and respectfully I did. He never came by my room for a visit.

Physically, Nadine's alright, which I'm glad. Mentally, she's the most damaged out of all of us. The trauma with the mixture of guilt and shame for not helping us fight, plus seeing all three of us maimed, messed her up real bad. Her parents had to admit her to the mental hospital. It was a good one so she got all the help she needed.

Sarah. Sarah is in a coma. As expected, her organs and brain are damaged. The fact that she lived through it is a miracle. It took everything they got, but the doctors couldn't really do anything. They said that there's barely any brain activity in her. They also said that Sarah will never wake up. Her parents want to keep her on life support until they're ready to let go. Leo stayed by her side every single day. He refused to leave, unless the doctors basically force him to. Leo rarely said anything to me back when we were recuperating. Even when I visit Sarah he responds everything in grunts and short answers.

After our two months in here, we finally got discharged. I was back in tip top shape and Leo can see again, despite the eye. He walks out of the hospital with his aviators, only he has an eyepatch. I walk towards him and greet him.

"Glad to see you out bro!" I try to say in a positive tone. He then walks right past me. I follow him.

"Wanna get a Seanwich and go play Turf War?" He still says nothing.

"Leo. Look I get it. I know what you're going through."

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP!" he shouts as he jabs his finger at my chest. "Nadine ain't the one dying! You ain't missing an eye! At least you can go and hug your girlfriend! Don't act like you know how I feel!"

Honestly, that hurt me. That hurt me more than it should. I didn't have anything else to say to him. Leo looked a little guilty and just kept walking. I just stare at Leo until he walks out of sight.

I called Nadine; just wondering if she got out yet. She didn't pick up. From what I found out from her school friends, the doctors discharged her, but wants her to have frequent visits to a psychiatrist. I can't really go to her house. Her parents despise me. Especially now. One time during rehab, they came to visit me. They screamed at me on how it's my fault Nadine's in a mental hospital and how its gonna cost them a ton of money. That she's too smart and prestige to hang out with an orphan. This was before they find out Grizzco's paying for it. Despite all that, they're right. If Nadine didn't meet me, she'd be fine. She would just be playing Turf Wars during Splatfests instead of hanging out with me in Salmon Run. I couldn't find Nadine and I decided to try again another time.

I went to Crust Bucket and ordered me a huge lunch. After the day I'm having, I needed it. I only now notice on how alone I am. All my friends have split. Splatisfaction might as well be done.

My thinking process got interrupted when someone called me. I can feel my gut tensing up when I look at the caller ID. Grizzo. I debate on whether I should answer it. I shouldn't be angry at him, but I am. Our lives are ruined thanks to Grizzco. But I decide to answer him.

"What do you want Grizzo?"

"Hey kid. Look, I know you don't want to actually talk to me, but hear me out."

""Don't wanna talk to you" is an understatement."

"Just hear me out. I got info on the Saiju that attacked the four of ya."

"How did you know that we called it a Saiju?"

"I heard Leo call them that when I offered to tell him about em'."

"Okay. Fine. Tell me whatever."

"Not here kid. Come to Grizzco and I'll tell you, Leo, and Nadine about it." And like that, he hangs up. I didn't know what to expect, but this seems like a good chance to at least get back with Leo and Nadine.

I arrive at Grizzco. The metal gates cover its doors. To my surprise, Leo and Nadine made it before me. They stood there, not making eye contact with each other. They both look at me.

"Hey." I said to both to them. Nadine gave me a hey back weakly. Leo looks away. I walk up to Nadine, but she looks down. Almost in shame.

"How ya doin' babe?" I said. Nadine backed away from me. Yeah, talking casually ain't a good idea.

"I've been trying to contact you for a while now."

"Sorry." she mumbles.

"Nadine. I know you feel bad for what happened at Rusty Rig. I know you're scared, but I'm here for you. I'll always be there for you."

I then hug Nadine. She doesn't say anything or hug me back. Leo's looking away from us. I don't know if my words reached her. The gate open with some guy in a black suit appearing. He gestures his head for us to come in. We warily walk into Grizzco as the gate shuts behind us.

We meet a second guy in a black suit and Grizzo's statue.

"You kids made it. I'm glad." Grizzo said in with gruff voice.

"Just get on with it. You're wasting my time. Sarah needs me more than I need to be here." said Leo.

"He's tough and focused. He's perfect." said the suit.

"The heck does that mean?" Leo asks as he gets madder.

"Kid, just ignore him. Alright. Let's get things started." Grizzo said as the computer monitors turn on. Showing pictures of the Saiju plus an anatomy. One was dated back thirty years ago.

"Wait, the Saiju existed before!? You knew that we'd fight the Saiju!?"

"Kid. Believe me. I didn't know it'll show up."

"But you did know about it. Right?" I said. Grizzo pauses for a moment.

"Yeah. I did know about it. In all honesty, I thought there's only one of em' back then. Recently found out there's more."

"A lot more!?" Nadine says with a look of shock. Grizzo was silent for a moment. Suit guy #1 takes a remote control and the show us pictures of an island. These look like old photos. Suit guy then begins to explain.

"A few decades ago, there was a nuclear irradiated island marked as GJ-54. On it was an ancient building, left behind by the previous civilization. One day, it just stop being irradiated for no reason. Government agents went in to investigate and found out that it became a was a hotspot for Salmonids to breed on. We call Mr. Grizz and he sent his boys in for clean up. Every single Salmonid was taken out, except one." The tv screens then show photos of the Saiju bursting out of that building. Half of those photos were horrifying. There was one with a guy wearing an older style Grizzco uniform dangling by his intestines from the Saiju's mouth. Another with the Saiju biting off two heads. Even the goriest horror movies have nothing on this. Nadine runs behind a box and pukes her guts out.

"Had to get the government to go in and fight. Took him down with at least a hundred soldiers." said Grizzo as more pictures pop up, showing actual soldiers running towards the Saiju and dying. A bunch of photos have the Saiju killed.

"Why are you showing us this!?" I shout, holding back the bile. We seriously could've ended up like them in the pictures.

"To show how seriously good or how unbelievably lucky you three are." said suit #1.

"You three survived and defeat a Leviathan by yourselves. A feat thought impossible." said suit #2.

"Okay seriously." Nadine said. "Who are you guys? You two obviously don't work for Grizzco."

"Believe it or not Ms. Hale, we work for the government." said suit #1.

"And the choice you three make will decide whether we become Grizzco employees or not."

"What do you mean?" I ask hesitantly.

"Before we and Mr. Grizz can tell you more about Leviathans, there's a catch." said suit #2. "You three are going to have to accept a job offer from Grizzco."

"Job offer!?" Me, Leo, and Nadine yell.

"To make Salmon Running a real job, where you kids can have a high paying salary, plus a whole lot of benefits. On one condition, you kids can't talk about this to anyone. Not your parents, your friends, online, not even to a stranger who doesn't care." said suit #1.

"You'll cause a worldwide panic. Anarchy, crime, and maybe even murders will happen. The government already have its hands full and last thing we all need is dealing with riots." said suit #2.

"Ya kids got a bright future ahead taking out Salmonids. If you kids take this job-"

"Go to Hell!" Leo shouts. His eyes are brimming with rage and hatred. "You guys can't just expect us to work for you after the crap we went through! It's because all of you that Sarah's hurt! We are NOT taking this job."

"Kid. Leo. Listen. I know its our fault, but we can fix this. Salmon Run ain't what it seems, I admit that, but its for a greater good."

"The greater good?" Nadine asks.

"Yeah. I'll tell you three this much. Since the first appearance of the Saiju, the Salmonids are breedin' faster than ancient seahorses. More so than ever. They're too many of em' and Grizzco and the government havin' too much trouble dealin' with it. That's why I made Salmon Run. Ta keep the population under control."

"And you need us, why?" said Nadine.

"Ever since the second Saiju's appearance, they're breedin' even faster now. They've been more aggressive with their attacks. There've been reports of Salmonids showin' up at beaches of dry land. Since you three's fight with the Saiju, I've been thinkin' you all can protect the world from the Salmonids. Keep their population down. Be heroes. So. What'dya say?"

"No. We're finished." said Leo. "We're officially done with Salmon Run. C'mon guys. Let's get the heck outta here."

Leo's about to walk out, until he notices we didn't move. I start thinking about this.

"I said c'mon guys!" he snapped.

"I'm in." said Nadine not even looking at Leo. Leo's jaw drops. To be honest, I'm a little surprised myself.

"No way. No. No. No. No. You cannot be freaking serious." said Leo.

"Yes I am. And I'm in." she said with conviction.

"You were scared out of your mind when the Saiju came. Me and Cayden fought it not you."

"That's why I'm in. I don't want other people suffer what I suffered." Nadine said that with barely contained anger in her voice.

"For pete's- Cayden. Help me out here."

"Count me in too." I said. Leo looked at me like I betrayed him or something.

"Leo. I'm sorry, but I agree with Grizzo. If we can use our skills to help everyone, to prevent the Salmonids from hurting everyone else."

"Damn it Cayden! You too Nadine! Can't you see they're just suckering you all in!?

"We can do this together Leo. We can help so many people if we take this job."

"So I guess selling out to big wigs and forgetting Sarah is totally worth it, huh?"

"Leo. Don't put words in my mouth."

"No. That's exactly what's happening. You both are betraying Sarah. She'll agree with me. Especially when she wakes up."

"Leo. You know Sarah's not waking up."

"No she'll wake up and she'll tell you exactly the same thing I said."

"Leo. Please. I'm sorry, but Sarah is never waking up. She's barely hanging by a thread."

"YES SHE WILL DAMN IT! SHE'S ALL I GOT!" tears flow down Leo's eyes. I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Leo. You still got me and Nadine. We're your friends."

"If your really my friends, you'd reject this deal."

"Leo please, you gotta see the bigger picture." Without another word from my mouth, Leo punches me. I don't blame him. Again I used the worst possible words.

"I'm done. WE'RE done. We're not bros anymore. I'm never going to speak to either of you ever again."

 **PRESENT DAY**

"Those were his final words to us. I tried to call him, contact him online, bump into him in Inkopolis Square or Plaza. Nothing. Two weeks after our fall out with Leo, Sarah was taken off of life support. Leo was there holding her hand when they pulled the plug, comforted by Sarah's parents. We can only stand there and grieve. We went to her funeral at the beach. She was put on a raft with flowers and pushed into the sea. Leo swore revenge against Grizzco and swore that he'll make them pay. And that was the last time we saw him. We later found out from his adopted parents that he ran away. No one could find him. Not even the police."

Cora sits there quietly listening. She looks at me with really sad eyes.

"What happened to Nadine and what did Grizzco tell you about the Saijus?" she asks. I look at my phone to see its 2AM.

"It's getting late. I'm not ready to talk about Nadine yet and I'm already in trouble telling you this. So that'll be enough for today. When's your stop?"

"Umm. Right now actually." The train then stops at Flounder Heights and the doors open.

"Hey, Cora." I said. She pauses. I gave her smile. "Thanks for listening."

Cora blushes and gives a cheerful smile plus a nod as she happily runs off. Man, if we met her earlier, she would've been a great friend to hang with.


	5. Chapter 5: Calm Before The Storm

Doing my job these past 3 days. It's getting surprisingly easier. No Saijus came and the attacks were as easy as Salmon Run days on Profreshional. Part of me feels like I'm finally making a difference in the world. All those Saijus I slayed and the comrades I lost, finally felt like it paid off. Heck, Grizzo even lets me go early. On early releases, I walk back home, alone with my thoughts. On the third day, Grizzo called me. He says the Salmonids have been dying down lately and I should take the rest of the week off. Still not complaining and I don't know why. I usually get mad whenever I don't fight Salmonids.

Today's a decent day. The guys I played Salmon Run with actually knew what they were doing. They swim up the walls during Griller attacks and Chum Rushes, shooting incoming Motherships with a Sting Ray, and one of us mans the turret while the rest get eggs during Cohock Charges and then one of the collectors man the other turret halfway. Exactly as planned. The sun's going down so I decided to call in quits and go home.

I sit in the train, all alone. I'm thinking about what do. I start thinking about Cora again. I've been thinking about her a lot lately. Also, I kinda owe her for listening to my problems and for yelling at her when I really shouldn't have. I really should treat her to something nice tomorrow. Problem is, I haven't actually done anything…...normal for a while now. I try brainstorming on something to do. Then a commercial came up on the train's t.v.

"Comon and let's a go to WAHOO WORLD! We got a ton of rides! Love playing Squid Racer!? Be a real Squid Racer on the Squid Racer racing track! Try not to freak out on the Death Drop! Scream "WAHOO!" in Wahoo World!"

Everytime that commercial comes up, my heart breaks. Sarah really wanted to go. When Wahoo World was announced, that's all she'd talk about. That's all she was looking forward to. Since talking about Sarah with Cora, a lot of built up guilt has been gushing out of me. When that commercial came on, I cry. I cry on how I failed to save her. How I could've fought better. How I could've saved Leo's eye. How I betrayed Leo when I took that offer. How I just let Grizzco shut me up about what really happened to Sarah. If only I saved Sarah first. She was closer to the Saiju. I could've moved her out of the way before it stepped on her. I could've saved them all if I whipped out the Sting Ray earlier.

"Hey squiddo. You okay?" some girl shook me back to reality. I look up to see a girl wearing shade, a pink beanie with a big star pin on it, and an open pink shirt with a tank top. I wipe my face with my sleeve. I regret it super hard since the fabric on my Grizzco uniform ain't good for wiping. I take off my glove and wipe my face again.

"I'm...I'm fine." I said to her. She cocked an eyebrow.

"Really? You kinda cried like a girlfriend broke up with ya?'

"No. No. Nothing like that."  
"Mind if I sit here?" What's with girls showing me pity lately?

"Sure." I say as I scoot over. She plops down next to me as I try to ignore her.

"Hey, I know it's kinda not my business, but what were you crying about?" she asks me. I give her a look that I don't want to talk about it.

"So it is a girlfriend?" she says.

"No. Me and girlfriend broke up a long time ago."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Do you have a new one?" I couldn't help but think, "Is she hitting on me?"

"Whoops! That came out all wrong! Woo boy, this is awkward." she laughs. We ends this weird conversation as she plays with her phone. As usual I stare out the window, only this time I'm wondering if Leo's okay. Part of me wants to tell him that he was right. He was right the entire time. Who am I helping anymore? Am I helping anyone by splatting Salmonids? Should I keep this damn job? It brought bring me nothing, but pain and horrific memories. I try shaking it off and focus on something else. I went back to thinking about Cora again. I can't think of anything to do. I have a crazy idea. I'll ask the girl next to me.

"Hey." I said gruffly. Accidentally spook her a bit. "There's a girl I wanna thank, but I don't know how. Where do you take a girl out?"

Suddenly, her eyes had that sparkle.

"Oooh! What's her name!? What's she like?" I'm at the edge of my seat as she sticks her head closer and closer to me with every question. She backs away and composes herself.

"Welllll. For starters, you have to get rid of that Grizzco uniform. You smell a bit weird. Plus, its weird to be walking around in that. You need to wear something fresh!"

Haven't thought about my appearance for a long time. I guess I could go clothes shopping.

"Try Ye Olde Cloth Shoppe and ask Jelonzo for what's the freshest look for you."

"Don't you mean Jelfronzo?" I said.

"Whoops! I mean Jelfonzo! Geez, I keep getting them mixed up. After that, go to the Headspace and get yourself a cool hat. But where should you take her?" the girl crosses her arm and thinks. Suddenly, the Wahoo World commercial came up again.

"Perfect!" she shouts and points at the screen. "The best place to eat and have fun!"

She notices that the train's slowing on her stop. She apologizes for cutting her advice short and gets ready. Before she walks out, she tells me one more thing.

"Good luck and stay fresh!" and she does the Squid Sisters pose.

"Who are you, Callie or Marie?" I said. She nervously laughs. She waves goodbye and runs right out. She does look a lot like Callie now that I think about it. Nah, it can't be.

It was the afternoon and I did what the girl advised. With the help of Jelfronzo, Flow, and Bisk, I got myself a Layered Anchor LS shirt, A Jellyvader Cap, and Blue & Black Squidkid IV shoes. I carry my clothes back home on the train. I take out my phone and stare at the screen. A long time ago, I set up a picture of Splatisfaction as my wallpaper. It was our first time beating Hazard Level Max. Nothing was more exciting than that day. It was best time of our lives as Splatisfaction. I remember us swearing if we beat Hazard Level Max again, we'd go to Wahoo World. Those were good times. Looking at my wallpaper reminds me how much I've lost. It actually made me hesitant on calling Cora. But I work up the courage to call her.

"Hello?" said Cora in a flustered voice.

"It's me." I said.

"Oh. Umm. Hi Cayden. Is there anything you need?" I actually hesitate a bit before speaking. Cora repeatedly said hello until I finally ask.

"Are you doing anything today?"

"N-no. I'm not. I'm basically free today."

"I just...wanted to know if you want to come to Wahoo World with me." I heard her drop her phone. Then hear her hastily pick it back up.

"I-I-I would love to Cayden!" her voice sounds all flustered. "Where and when should we meet?!"

"We can meet at Wahoo World's entrance tomorrow at 10am."

"Great! See you there!" She hangs up and I sit down to look at the sunset once more. I remember me making a vow never to go to Wahoo World until me, Leo, and Nadine make up and go together. I feel bad for breaking that vow, but part of me knows I'll never see them again. Even if I did, we'll never get back together. It's been too long and too much damage has been done. I keep always telling myself over and over again. Splatisfaction is dead. We're never coming back.

Today, I look...normal. Man, I haven't worn real close for so long. All my old clothes have holes or have worn themselves out. Not into clothes shopping all that much. I only get new ones when the old ones break. At least, back then I did.

I wait for a good hour until Cora finally shows up. She's wearing a school skirt, with a plain yellow tee with the Squidforce tag on it, and flip flops. Guess she doesn't shop for clothes normally either.

"Sorry I'm late! I forgot to set an alarm on my phone."

"No worries. I already bought tickets." I whip out two tickets and her eyes light up like getting hit by a bucket of cold water.

"Shall we?" I ask as I gesture at Wahoo World. She nods and we run inside.

"You look nice by the way." she says sheepishly.

"You look weird." I said. She laughs as her face turns red with embarrassment.

Not many of the rides interest me. The bumper cars are broken. Go karts were alright. Cora seem to have fun, especially after messing with the wires to make her go kart go faster. Got in a lot of trouble, even after I paid for the damages. The Death Drop doesn't freak me out. I could only think about how dumb these kids are on how much they're freaking out before the big drop. Try facing a Saiju twenty times kids. You'll find out how scary that can get. Going on the Flyfish roller coaster was boring for me. Try grabbing the dorsal fin of a Saiju when it retreats into the water. Thankfully, I was able to respawn before it dragged me down to the abyss. The entire time, Cora kept her eyes shut and held onto my hand. When the ride's over, she would blush and let go. This girl has seen way too much anime. In all honesty, it feels nice to hold someone's hand again.

We decide to have lunch and decide to eat at Kurage Rolls. It's the sushi restaurant that's split into two for the sake of the symmetry in Turf Wars. Took me a while to convince Cora that she can eat as much as she wants to. The sushi is...actually wonderful. I completely forgot how much I really love sushi. It fills a long forgotten craving for sushi. Cora ate a metric ton worth of sushi. She eats like she hasn't had a meal for days. She does seem a little skinny for a big eater. We didn't really talk all that much. We mostly watch the Turf War out the window. Geez, these people are crazy. They maneuver through everything like it's a parkour course. Sometimes, I forget how different Turf Wars, Ranked Matches, and Salmon Run really is. I wouldn't even make it pass rank B in any match. Heck, I'll barely be able to get a Fresh rank on Turf War. I looked at Cora and see her so entranced by the current match. I notice her eyes are a pretty and dark brown. I stare at them for a bit, until she looks at me. Once I pay our massive bill, we really have nothing else to do. The sun was beginning to set. We start thinking on what we should do now.

"Hey. How about we spend the day on the ferris wheel?" I look at her with a perplexing look.

"Un-unless you don't want to." she says sadly.

"Let's go." I said as we head for the ferris wheel. Luckily, there's no line for us, so we got in really quickly. Me and Cora sit across from each other staring at the sunset. I don't know what to talk about with her. The sun maybe? No that's stupid.  
"Hey Cayden." she said.

"Yeah?"

"I really want to thank you for doing all this for me. I've never had such a wonderful time."

"Your welcome."

"I've been thinking about everything you told me."

"And?"

"Well…" She then places her hand on mine. "You don't have to be alone all the time."

She moves in closer. Giving me a look of genuine care.

"You shouldn't carry this burden by yourself. You're a wonderful person and I can see that! Seeing you torture yourself like this, seeing you shut everything out, I can't sit here and do nothing! I want to be there for you!"

She leans closer to me. I finally notice where's she's getting at. And I can't have that.

"Cora...I...I can't. I just can't."

"I want to help you relieve your burden. I..I."

Then suddenly, she kisses me. I put my back against the wall as I gasp for air. The sun goes out and darkness covers me. Then she came up to me. It wasn't Cora.

"HeEHAHHaHHAaAaAAA! I love you Cayden! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! As much as I love slaughtering Saijus! RIP OUT THEIR GUTS AND HEARTS!" she holds out hearts of our coworkers. She then eats the hearts. Chewing, but not swallowing. Laughing with her mouth full.

"Nadine! NADINE! STOP!"

"HeEHEEeheheee! It's so GOOD! SO good Cayden! So GOOD! GOod! sO GooOoD cAYdEn! TAsTe iT In mY mOUTH! kISS LiKe loVERs!" she then kisses me. The disgusting taste of Inkling hearts made me puke. I press my back on the wall shaking in fear.  
"Evrrrrthign looks lyke SAIjuuuuus! EEEEEevryTHing! KILL! KILL! KIIIIIILLLLL!HAHAHAHaaHAhaaHA!" the screams of the newbie reminded me of Sarah, as Nadine repeatedly stabs him with the Grizzco knife. I couldn't breathe. I gasp for air and my lungs begin shaking. Her laugh is in the air.

"STOP IT! STOP IT! STOOOOP IIIIIIIIT!"

"Cayden! Please! It's not real!"

I snap out of it. Again. It happened again. My PTSD triggered again. I calm down to notice my puke on the floor. Cora's hugging me as tightly as she can with my back against the wall. She's crying and burying her face into my chest.

"Cayden. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have..." tears well up in my face. I hug her back.

"No Cora. You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm the one who's sorry. So please. Don't cry."

I ruined this entire day. Didn't image the day would end like this. Me holding a girl who's in love with me. On top of a floor covered in rice, fish, bile, and stomach acid. Crying in pain and torment. Damn it is all I have to say. Just damn it.


	6. Chapter 6: Off Day Crew

The guy who runs the ferris wheel yells at me for puking. Luckily, he accepts my bribe to let us back in when it's clean. Once the park... cleaners? Janitors? Whatever, they clean up my puke pretty quickly. I buy water from a nearby vending machines to wash out the puke out of my mouth. Cora holds my hand. I let her, but I still hesitate holding back.

"Are you alright?" Cora asks.

"I feel so embarrassed. What am I, a child?"

"Well, you look 17. And you are a kid in a way." Geez she's right. My age and how I'm still a child. A kid. How long has it been since I felt like a kid? Since I thought myself as a kid. Well, those government guys gave me the fake age of 19 when I took the job.

"Cayden. Do you want to go home?" Cora asks. I shake my head when I took a sip of water.

"Honestly, I just want to go back on the wheel."

After "borrowing" a nearby hose and washing the sushi puke off our shoes, we head back to the ferris wheel to continue our ride. The sun's gone and the stars show up. There's a window on the ceiling in the car so we can stare up at the night sky. Well, when we get the chance. Whenever the wheel lowers our car and the car above us blocks our way, we look out the window. I want to break the silence and talk to Cora about how I feel.

"I'm sorry about the whole panic attack thing." I said. Cora looks down in shame, like she did something bad.

"It's not that I don't like you Cora. It's just that I'm….Well, scared." She looks at me curiously.

"Scared?"

"It's mostly about Nadine. I never did tell you what happened to me and Nadine. Did I?"

"W-well, you said that it ended badly and that was it. I didn't want to force it out of you."

"There's a lot more to it than "it ended badly"." Cora looks down. Almost like she's afraid to ask something. I know she wants to know about Nadine.

"Nadine….she was never the same after our first Saiju encounter. I never noticed, but she changed. A lot. To a point where she was no longer the Nadine I fell in love with."

(Many Months Ago)

"Hey kids. Welcome to yer first day on the job."

Me and Nadine meet up with Grizzo on a Wednesday. Today not the day Salmon Run happens. Today is a day where we hunt down Salmonids. We go into the locker room as usual and put on our Grizzco uniforms. It feels so uncomfortable to not walk out with Leo and not seeing Sarah walk out with Nadine. Nadine hasn't said a single word since Sarah's funeral. I tried to get her to talk to me, but nothing. Some wimpy looking kid accidentally bumps into me.

"Oops! Sorry!" he says as he power walks into the boy's locker room. Is he working here with us?

We make it to Grizzo's office. In it is a tough, muscular looking guy with tattoos all over his body. He looks like he's ten years older than us. His hands are cuffed and his eyes looked crazed. Me and Nadine are both scared of him as he glares at us.

"Hey squiddos. This guy right here is Mack Moores." This Mack guy continues to glare at us. Unmoving. "Don't be scared of him. Don't let it bother ya that he's a convict. He agreed ta help ya kids on this secret Salmon Run mission."

We only look at him with concern. This is the first time we actually meet a criminal. Like an idiot, I try to talk to him.  
"Soooo. What did you do to get yourself thrown in prison?" I ask nervously. I'm just asking for trouble. Mack gives me an unsettling smile.

"I stabbed a teammate who screwed around during Turf War and made me lose. Stabbed him GOOD. He shouldn't have stood there like a f #$ing r #ard and made me lose the match. I ran from the law and killed every guy like him on my list. One time, I nail gunned a guy's hands into the road. Then I killed his parents, stole their car, and slowly ran him over. He tried to get away in squid form, but I flattened him. Hahahaha! Ahh, brings a smile to my face everytime. Went from Rank A to B because of him."

I slowly backed away on the part where he mentioned the parents. Nadine holds my arm in fear.

"Alright Mack. This ain't prison. You don' gotta impress no one with yer killings." said Grizzo in an annoyed voice.

"Just because I accepted this deal, doesn't mean I can't have fun Mr. Grizz. Killing Salmonoids or whatever the Hell they're called. It's all the same to me."

I can't believe we have an actual criminal in our team. A hardened one at that. We're probably the first people to ever do that in history. Our talk was cut short when that kid I bumped into earlier ran into the room.

"Sorry I'm late Mr. Grizz!" he says as he tucks his pants in. "Please don't let this affect my community service hours."

"Don't worry kid. With Cayden and Nadine there, your safe. Stay away from the big guy, Mack." Mack gives an unsettling grin.  
"Aww c'mon Mr. Grizz. The kid and I can have a lotta fun together."

"Stay. Away. From. The kid. Mack." Grizzo says in almost a growl. Mack lifts up his hands to show that he'll comply.  
"Okay. Y'all are now a part of the Off Day Crew. Why's it called that? Cause all of yer all fighting the Salmonids on days Salmon Run ain't open to the public. You four will work as a team and treat this as Profreshional Ranked of Salmon Run. Four of you already know the existence of Saijus, so watch out for 'em. All right. Briefing done. Get on the boat all of ya."  
Three of us felt nervous. It feels so weird not working with Leo and Sarah. I kept Sarah close to me and the new kid. I don't trust Mack and I don't know why Grizzo would employ an actual criminal. This doesn't feel right. When we get on the boat, I try to get to know the new kid.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"O-oh. I'm Seymore."

"I'm Cayden and this is Nadine. What're you here for?"

"Well. I went to prison. "

"Wait what!?"

"Yeah. I'm a hacker and I tried to steal money from the Lone Sea Star bank." I raise my brow.

"Preeety stupid move. Especially trying to steal from the world's most well known bank." I say to him. The kid laughs nervously.

"I thought I could do it. I did it a bunch of times on smaller banks. But Lone Sea Star has some super advanced software. I took too long and they found my location and the police arrested me. Then I was given a five year sentence. But thanks to Mr. Grizz I didn't have to. Mr. Grizz told me that I just gotta do this for half a year as community service and I won't go to prison." My eyes widen. Jeez. How much pull does Grizzo even have!? How connected is he to the government that he can pull strings like that?! Me and Seymore talked a bit more about other stuff like Off the Hook, Squid Sisters, Squid Squad, DJ Lee Fish, etc while Nadine said nothing. It takes a while until we get to where we're supposed to go.

So this place is nothing, but a small island with nothing on it. It's barren and round. There aren't even any trees. It doesn't even have a name. I became immediately suspicious about this. The water cannon on the boat sprays some weird stuff on the island. It stinks real bad. It smelled like rotten fish, eggs, and milk. Grizzo tells us to squid jump on the island and get ready to fight. We did just that. We're all equipped with a Grizzco weapon. The best weapons to have in Salmon Run. I got the Blaster, Nadine got the Brella, Seymore get the Charger, and Mack the Slosher. But the strangest thing is we all got knives. Actual, real life, sharp, and tough enough to chop fingers off by accident. Except Mack for obvious reasons.

"What the actual Hell Grizzo?" I said to him wide eyed.

"Saijus ain't somethin' normal weapons can deal with. Sometimes, ya gotta use some dangerous ones." The boat drives a safe distance away from us. I can see the new kid nervous like a newbie doing Turf War for the first time.

We waited until Grizzo told us that they're coming. We begin covering the island's surface with ink. Soon enough, I see a mohawk like fin coming out of the water. It's just a Chum. I shot at it before it completely came out of the water. It pops like a balloon, just like the rest. Then from the murky depths, a crapton of chum came up. Yup. Here we go again.

I unloaded my Blaster into the horde that's coming. I look to my right to see Mack throwing his Slosher full of ink into the flanking chums. When he's out of ink, he punches the last remaining chums. They pop like water balloons after three punches from this convict. I make a note to myself to keep him from arms reach. The kid is basically keeping his distance as a sniper should. Nadine seems to be back to normal. She's actually smiling again, but her eyes still look like they're stressed out. Later two Maws, three Steelheads, two Flyfish, three Steel Eels, and three Stingers appear at the exact same time. This doesn't happen in Salmon Run. Boss Salmonids usually appear one at a time, at fastest one after another, but not to this level. But then again, this isn't actually Salmon Run. I call everyone to regroup to me near two Stingers. Nadine does it by instinct, Seymore took a while, but Mack completely ignores me. He's too busy putting the Steel Eel's pilot in a headlock. I then hear an audible snap from the pilot's neck. The Salmonid falls to the ground and melts as the Steel Eel explodes. I've never seen that happen to a Salmonid before. I swallow hard and take out the two Stingers as Nadine throws a Splat Bomb into an attacking Maw's mouth. Seymore takes out two Steelheads with ease. Everything is going fine. It actually felt like Salmon Run. After a good ten minutes of fighting, the Salmonids finally retreated. We're all tired. I guess off days don't follow the same rules.

"That was actually fun!" said Mack. We look at him to see a still living Small Fry in his hand.

"Uhh. Why do you have that?" Seymore asks.

"Oh this little thing? So I could do this." Mack puts both his hands between the Small Fry's head and crush. Mack starts laughing like someone said a joke.

"Who knew Salmon Run is so much fun!?" he said still laughing.  
"This isn't Salmon Run you freaking psycho." Nadine said. Mack stops laughing. His smile became an immense frown.

"Sorry. Ink's blocking my hearing. What didja just call you call me?"

"I called you a psycho. What did prison make you a f#$king moron too?" Mack stomps towards her. I tried to get Nadine to shut up, but he pushes me away.

"Uhh guys." said Seymore. We're all too busy to pay attention to him.

"B#$ch, the next words that come out of your mouth better be an apology." Mack said with clenched teeth. I try to stop Nadine, but she pushes me away again.

"Uhhh g-guys!" Seymour says in a panic.

"Sorry for stating the truth? No. You don't scare me, tough guy. I've seen scarier." Mack then grabs her by the throat.

"Scared of me now, b#$ch!?" Mack shouts as Nadine gags. "What's that? Harder? You're one kinky c#$t."

I try to stop it as Mack elbows me in the eye. I get back up with my knife. I then stab Mack in the hips. He grunts in pain as he releases Nadine. Nadine coughs and gasps for air. I help her up and backed away from Mack.

"I've been stabbed harder from a shank made from a pair of glasses!" Mack spat as he forces himself up.

"Guys! I-i-is that a Saiju?!" said Seymore. We all stop this fight as we feel a rumble on the ground. We all look to see a Saiju now on land. Walking on top of the beach and looking at us with the same rage and hate in its eyes.


	7. Chapter 7: Win or Lose, I Still Lost

I wasted no time swimming towards the Saiju. These things ruined our team and took Sarah away from us. I'm going to make sure they all pay. The Saiju slowly moves towards me.

"New kid!" I shout. "Seymore! Keep your distance! Aim for its eyes!"

The kid shakes in fear. Crud. He's too freaked out. This one looks exactly like the one I fought. Seeing this thing still scares me, but I have my courage and experience to not let the fear control me again. I swim under it as it tries to claw at me. It's movements are so predictable. I shoot its tail just to see if that does anything. Nothing. Especially after it swings its tail. The Saiju then tries to use its mouth beam at me. I've taken at least two Sting Rays just for this, but no one is distracting the Saiju.

"Uhh! A little help!?" I shout.

"Sorry "leader". No can do! I got a hole in my leg. So I'm just gonna sit back and let it heal!" shouts Mack as he sneers and limps away. Nadine is shivering in fear. She can barely hold her weapon. She stands there watching the Saiju trying to kill me. Seymore is kind of making an effort to help me by shooting the Saiju's eye, but he's so far away that the shots aren't even touching it. Looks like I gotta do everything myself.

"Seymore! Make a path for me!" I said. Seymore took a while, but inks me up a path. I swim up to the path while the Saiju tries to bite me. I turn, then take out a Sting Ray, and fire them straight into the Saiju's eyes. Both pop like a bloodshot patterned balloon. The Saiju screams in pain as I yell "Booyah!". For the first time in a long while, I felt happy. I can take this thing on myself. No one has to suffer what I suffered through. I can take these bastards on myself. While thinking that, the Saiju swings its arms in a frenzy.

"Uhhhh. Shouldn't it be dead?" Seymore asks. That's when I notice that I don't know what to do after I shoot its eyes out. I aim my Sting Ray at it again and fire at the bleeding eye sockets. I annoyed it. I really wished that was something. It opens its mouth and gargles. I drop the Sting Ray and tackle the kid out of the way. The Saiju fires its mouth beam thing and we dodge it perfectly. I stare at it for a moment and thought of a new plan. I ink myself a path towards the Saiju and swim through it. The Saiju swings its claw at me, but I dodge it. I take my knife and stab it in the leg. The monster screams as it begins to stomp. My knife is stuck in its leg and I hold on to it. Sand and ink splashed into my face. Some got in my eye put I hold on. The Saiju then kicks hard enough to get the knife out and send me flying. It then fires a thin beam at my direction, but it's still blind so it misses.

Out of nowhere, Nadine screams and swimming towards. She begins climbing the Saiju with her knife. The Saiju attempts to grab her, but she jumps onto its hand and stabs it. It tries to swing her off and it does. Nadine flies in the air and falls onto its neck. She stabs and slides down its neck, then stabs the exposed parts of its chest. I took this opportunity, I ink my way towards it again and climb on its back. When I managed to find its exposed flesh in its armor I repeatedly stab it. The Saiju freaks out more and tries to buck me and grab Nadine. I used my knife to climb up towards its head. The Saiju drops to the ground and rolls. Nadine jumps out of the way and I jump inside its eye socket and save myself from getting crushed.

I grab on what I think is blood vessels and save myself from getting crushed while it rolled over. Its blood squirts all over my face and my body. Some got into my eyes and damn does it hurt. I wipe away the blood and begin cutting. I didn't know where I was cutting, so I was swinging randomly in its socket. The Saiju screams as it attempted to claw me out. In doing so, it injures itself. I just continue to cut my way through the eye. I remember the first Saiju and how it died when Rusty Rig fell straight into its brain. I needed to make my way to its brain. I cut and stabs through it as the Saiju keeps bouncing around. Eventually, my knife reaches the end. I made it to its skull. I begin slicing the flesh off the skull until it's big enough for me to do this. I take out my second Sting Ray and fire straight into it. It's hard to keep my footing, but the Sting Ray eventually broke through the skull. The ray slices straight through the brain. I could hear from in here that the monster giving a dying screech as it fall onto its side. I bounce around for a little bit, but I don't try to not crash around. I was way too tired. Not only that, I'm covered in its flesh and blood. I slowly crawl out of the Saiju's eye socket and never have been more happy to see the sunset. I lie down on the warm sand and rest for a bit. I immediately stop it when I look to my left.

I see Seymore with his chest cut open. A look of shock spread across his face. I stare at his body in horror. This is the first time I've ever seen a dead body. All the stress and the smell of Saiju blood and eyejuice finally got to me and I puke my guts out. Immediately, I snap out of it to see Mack pinning Nadine. Nadine has her knife on hand and Mack is holding it as he tries choking her out. That sick bastard. Seymore's just a kid. All he did was steal and now he's been brutally murdered by that freak. I'm super exhausted, but I force myself to run and save my girlfriend.

"You psycho b #ch!" Mack grunts. Foam starts to build up in Nadine's mouth. I take my knife out.  
"Get away from my girlfriend, you sick bastard!" I say when I jump on his big back and stab his right shoulder. Mack yells in pain as he lets her go. Only to reach over and grab me by the head. He then slams my face into the sand. The then punches me in the face. It felt like a sledgehammer slammed into it. Then Mack jumps on top of me and begins punching me. I try to stop it, but Mack overpowers me. The combination of an exhausted and concussion from Mack made me unfocused. I couldn't really see anything. Probably because my eyes are swollen. I try to call out to Nadine, but Mack punches my teeth out.

Suddenly, Mack stops punching me. I try to force myself up. He's probably going after Nadine. I have to save her, but I'm in too much pain. But I can't leave her to fight him. I force my eyes to open. One of my eyes is swollen. My other eye sees enough. I see Nadine on top of Mack, screaming and repeatedly stab him in the chest. She cuts open his chest and actually pulls out his heart. I hear the sickening gurgle coming from Mack's throat. Nadine then stabs Mack in the head. He twitches as noises I can only describe as dying came out of him.

"I'm not afraid of you!" Nadine shrieks. Repeatedly stabbing him over and over again. "I! AM NOT! AFRAID! OF YOU!"

I get up on my feet and walk towards her. She stops stabbing for a moment. She then starts laughing. Laughing that sounds like insanity. I hold onto her and gently pull her off of Mack's body.

"Hahahahahaha! I'm not afraid anymore! Heheheeheeheheeee! I'm not afraid anymore! It's so easy!" she says almost singing. I lost my earpiece while fighting the Saiju, so I took Nadine's.

"Kid!?" Grizzo shouts frantically through the earpiece. "Cayden!? Nadine!? Seymore!?...Mack?"

"Its me Grizzo." I said.

"Cayden!? Kid, you okay?! Is anyone okay? Is the Saiju dead? "

"Yeah, I killed it. And no, no one's okay. Mack killed Seymore, he tried to kill Nadine and beat my face in. Nadine killed Mack in self defense."

"Crud." said Grizzo. He sounds disappointed, but not surprised. "I knew it. I knew recruiting him was a bad idea."

"You mean it's not your fault?" I said with a patronizing tone.

"Look kid, I ain't asking you to believe me, but-"

"Save it Grizzo. Just get the boat here and take us outta here." I hug Nadine tightly. I couldn't help, but think this is my fault. I knew she wasn't actually stable enough for this. I knew she has problems. I should've known that this would go out of control. Now. Now she's off the rocker. Laughing and covered in blood.

"Caaaaayyydeeeeen." Nadine said as she looks at me. My heart froze in terror as I look into her mind broken eyes. She spins around and kisses me. This feels really uncomfortable. "My hero Cayden. Heeheeheeheehee." She then kisses me again. This time she attempts to tongue kiss me. Her mouth tasted like blood. I pull away a bit, but she grabs me by the head. Nadine continues to laugh and look up at the sky. All I could do is hold her and hope love is good enough to get through to her. I then look at Seymore real quick. Poor new kid, he didn't deserve this. He just wanted to work off his time. This shouldn't have happened. I should've kept him farther away from Mack. I should've watched him. The feeling of uselessness and guilt crawls all over me again as I hold Nadine tightly. When, the boat pulls up on shore, I pick Nadine up and head towards the boat. I need to take her back to the hospital. She can't do this job. She can never do this job. Never again.

When we arrive to the mainland, I see the all too familiar scene of the ambulance, chopper, and medics waiting for us. I put Nadine on the stretcher. She's still laughing as I hold her hand. The medics lead us to the back of the ambulance and drove us away. At the hospital, my wounds were treated. They weren't all too serious. A few missing teeth and bruises ain't nothing to worry about. Nadine's completely unresponsive to the doctors. She's instantly diagnosed as insane and sent to the mental hospital again. The doctor says, she hasn't been taking her medication. I didn't even know she was even on pills. According to them, the meds help her by regulating stress. But there were extra ones. One's supposed to keep her anger management under control, which I think were caused by the Saiju, because Nadine didn't have anger issues before that. Another were antidepressants. She and Sarah were really close and when she died, she was full of suicidal thoughts.

Unfortunately, the doctors said I should come see her tomorrow when they set everything up for her and I should go home and rest. I did just that. I'm useless and I can't do anything for her. When I got home, it was empty as always. My adopted parents weren't home again. I find a small fast food bag with the note saying "Here's dinner Kayden". I've gotten used to them misspelling of my name. I open the bag to see a cold burger and a lukewarm shake. I toss the bag in the trash. I didn't feel hungry. I took my clothes off and took a shower. As the cold water sprinkles down on my tired body, I begin crying. If only I had known that Nadine was unstable, I could've prevented this. I'm freaking stupid. I've been completely selfish. Obsessed with holding onto what's left of Splatisfaction. That was it. Cayden you stupid, selfish, self absorbed idiot. I didn't even bother washing myself. I just stare at the floor. Watching the Saiju blood, flesh, and my tears flow down the drain.

The next day, I try to visit Nadine. Only to find out that I'm forbidden to see her.

"What do you mean I can't see her!?" I shout at the nurse at the front desk. Everyone stares at me.

"We were ordered by her parents to not let you see her no matter what." said the nurse. "I'm really sorry Cayden, I understand that-"

"NO! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" I shout even louder. "She's all I have! I need to tell her I'm sorry! I need to be with her!"

"Sir." the nurse said in a completely serious tone. "If you do not calm down this instant, I will be forced to call security. Right now, I must to ask you to leave."

"Screw this." I said as I reach over the desk and press the button that opens the door to the patients ward. Then two big lobsters grab me by the arms and toss me out.

"Young man, if you ever set foot in this hospital again, we will call the police." One of the guards said before both of them walk back in. I was so freaking frustrated, that I kick a trash can over. Then an expensive, all too familiar car pulls up. Nadine's adopted parents comes out. Her dad's wearing a tailored suit and a longcoat, while her mom's wearing a white dress adorned with jewels.

"You." said the dad with venom in his tone. "She's like this because of you!"

"Our perfect girl ruined by a street punk like you." said the mom. As much as I hate them, they weren't wrong.

"Stay the Hell away from Nadine and go back to your craphole of an apartment!" said the dad. I was ready to punch him in the face.

"Go ahead you little s #t! Do it! Hit me! We're getting approval for a restraining order! You lay a finger on me, you're going to speed up the process."

"You son of a b #ch!" I snarl, but I force myself not to hit him. He's trying to bait me.

"I've known her longer than you two combined! You just want her to be a rich obedient snob like you two!" I shout. The dad then decks me in the face. He had brass knuckles on the hand that punched me. I lay on the ground trying to get up from that cheap shot.

"Doesn't matter. You're just a teenage punk, who goes to foster parent to foster parent. We have the money to care for her. You don't. This is the last time we ask you nicely. Stay away from the girl, or I'll make sure the judge gives you the harshest punishment for violating our restraining order." and both walk past me into the hospital. I get up. Leg's shaking and my face making another bruise.

I took a long walk after that. I didn't know where I was going. All I wanted to do is be with Nadine. She's all I have left. She's the only real family I have left. I ended up walking to the construction site of Wahoo World. There's a bus stop bench close by it, so I sit down. I take out a photo of us, of Splatisfaction, out of my wallet. I stare into it. I begin crying again. They were all I had left. Leo, Sarah, Nadine. They were my family. My brother, my sister, and my future wife. I should be walking towards Wahoo World with them. With my friends. With my family. Now I have nothing.


	8. Chapter 8: Broken Heart

The next day I went to the funeral. His name is Seymore Nashton. A kid with an IQ of 128. I may not have known him long enough, but I owe him my condolences. His mom was crying her eyes out and his brother comforted her. A lot of school friends of his were here, but some clearly ain't here on their own volition. Some actually had the gall to play with their phones. Have some Inkling decency why don't you. After hours of eulogies and prayers, he was finally buried. I look at his family and really wanting them to tell them what really happened. But I can't. Grizzco forced me to never tell them anything relating to Saijus and the Off Day Crew. As far as they know, Seymore died doing community service at a Grizzco warehouse and killed by a runaway prisoner. I see his family and friends get in their cars and drive away. I walk back to the kid's grave.

"You deserved better Seymore." I said. "You're a great Salmon Runner. I wished we had more time. We could've been great friends." I take the Grizzco Charger, that I stole from Grizzco, and set it on his grave. I say my final goodbye and begin walking home and think about Nadine.

 **(One month later)**

"What do you mean you can't give me a lawyer!?" I shout at my phone. Today's a school day, but I ditch again. In fact, I haven't gone to school since Sarah's funeral. Too much has been happening for me to care. I'm at Inkopolis Plaza just to chill alone. No one's at the Plaza at this time. It's been like this since the Squid Sisters left and all the stores moved out. With no one around, I can shout at Grizzo as loud as I damn well please.

"Look kid. Grizzco don't provide lawyers."

"Bull! S #t! You can pull strings with the government! You say you can't do it for me!?"

"It ain't that simple, kid! There's lotsa things I gotta do to do that and I ain't in a position to do that!"

"You owe a crap ton to Splatisfaction, Grizzo! Especially me and Nadine! I've been working every damn night for you. Killing Saijus and other Salmonids." I put my back against a wall.

"Don't you see Grizzo!? If I can't cancel that restraining order, I'll never see be able to Nadine!" I drop to my knees at the verge of tears.

"Please Grizzo." I begin begging. "Please. I need to see Nadine again. I can't do this alone. You're my only hope. My only chance to be with her again. Please Grizzo. Please."

A long silence hangs around me. I hold on hope that he'll say something like yes.  
"Kid. I'm sorry. I really am." said Grizzo. Tears flow down my eyes as I threw my phone at the old Ammo Knights's door. I punch the walls until my fists bleed, while screaming on top of my lungs. I get my phone walk to the train station. I pass by a short girl in a pink hoodie and a crown playing the old arcade machine. She turns to look at me. I power walk away from her sights and make it to the train station.

When I got home and in the bathroom, I look at myself in the mirror. I look like a train wreck. I've been having night terrors and nightmares everyday. Crying didn't really help my look. I decided to take a shower and wallow in my misery. I noticed that my "parents" weren't home again. I seriously don't know what they're doing today. They usually go out and party, but that's usually at night when I come back. This is the middle of the day. A school day. Whatever. They probably knew I was going to be home at this time. They never wanted me in the first place. Just as I was thinking about them, I hear the door opening. Guess I'm wrong.  
"I'm showering! Go away!" I yell. The door did not close.

"Yeah, yeah! I'm back from school! Someone called a bomb threat! They let us go early!" I say lying straight through my teeth. There was still no answer from my "parents".  
"Okay Rachel or Dann! Close the damn door!" The door then closes. I shout "Thank you!" as I grab a bar of soap. After washing the sudds of my body I turn to see a dark shadow through the shower curtains. I usually don't see a shadow there. Which means someone's right there.  
"Dann?" I said weirded out. There's no response. Not even a noise.

"You better not be peeing while I'm showering again!" Still no response. My adopted parents don't act like this. I was about to open the curtain, until the figure slowly puts its hand on the curtain. It then close and opens its hand, over and over again. I begin to get scared. I tell myself that I've killed Saijus before. This isn't scary. Then the figure begins to press its other hand and does the same. It then presses its face against the curtain, opening its mouth and putting some of the curtain in its mouth. I can hear heavy breathing coming from the other side. Breathing in and out. In and out. It reaches its arms out and I back away. It does a grabbing motion with its arms, but misses me. It pauses for one moment. The breathing stops and so does mine. Minutes gone by and I needed to breathe again. Slowly, I exhale. Still no movement. I then inhale, slowly and quietly. The figure then jumps at me. Breaking the curtain off and hugging me. I scream on top of my lungs, but the wet shower curtain muffles my screams. I try to break free, but the figure pins my arms. I try to wiggle my head out, but the figure puts its mouth on mine. It breathes into my mouth as I try to push it. I then feel a sharp pain in my neck. I panic out even more as the figure continues to cover my mouth. It tastes gross. I struggle more and more until begin to feel sleepy. My mind slowly fades away and I fall asleep.

I wake up in my bed. Still naked by the way. I put on my clothes, despite feeling weak. I smell something through my door. It smells weird. I walk to the door, but I stop. Whoever attacked me is still probably in the house. I look around my messy room to find a can of oil. Me and Leo one time tried to build an RC car and thought we needed oil to build one. Leo has my back, even now. I take the oil can and squirt it on the door hinges. After a minute of doing that I open my door. No creaking. I sneak into the kitchen. The smell is getting stronger. It kinda smells like soup. I peak around the corner to see a pot boiling with a girl standing next to it. Naked. Wearing nothing, but an apron. I recognize her.

"NADINE!?" I shout. By instinct, I walk into sight. Nadine turns around smiling.

"Morning darling!" Nadine says in an extremely happy tone. She starts posing for me sexily.

"You want dinner? A bath? Or wa-ta-shi?" she says in a animu like way.

"Nadine. What's going on? The restraining order…."

"Aww. Let's not talk bout that!" she says as she pushes me down. She then sits on me. Then gives me a long kiss. Tongue and all. I didn't want to question this anymore. She's here. We're together again. That's all that matters. I hold onto her and kiss back. She's enjoying it a little too much. After a few minutes of making out, I stop and she starts giggling.

"I missed you so much Nadine. I'm so happy."

"I missed you too my cuddle wuddle fish!" she says with a big grin. We kiss each other again. Everything is back to normal. I'm with Nadine. She's with me again and that's all that matters.

"Aw crud! The soup!" she says as she gets up to turn the fire off. She stirs the soup while humming Bomb Rush Blush. I get back up and sit down on the kitchen chair.

"If this is a dream, I don't want it to end." I think to myself. For the first time since the first Saiju encounter, I feel happy.

"Soups on Cayden!" she said cheerfully as she sets a bowl of soup in front of me. It smells weird, but Nadine made it with love, so it's fine. I tasted it. It tastes bad. It's sorta like metal with salt. I just drink it. Nadine sips her's down really quickly and gets some more.

"Oh yeah! I got a gift for you, inky baby!" Nadine says. She turns around to open the fridge. I continue eating this soup. She holds something behind her back.

"Close your eeeyyyyes." she says. I play along and do cover them. "Okay! Noooow open!"

I open my eyes to see a heart in her hand. An actual, organic, bleeding heart. My blood ran cold.  
"TADA! Happy Squidintines Day!" she said with cheer. I stare at it in terror. I'm too scared to even respond. My lips are quivering. Words barely left my mouth.  
"W-w-w-w-w-whe-rrre d-d-d-did you get th-that?" I said barely containing a scream.  
"From my adopted daaaaddy." said Nadine way too casually.

"He b-b-bought that for you?" I ask nervously. Trying to deny the obvious.  
"No silly squiddy! I cut it outta him!" she says giggling. I look at her eyes. They're still the crazed eyes that I saw the day she broke.

"Heeheeheehee. Sheryl and Steve wanted to tear me away from my cuddlefish! Steve wouldn't let me stay with you Cayden. SO I CUT HIS HEART OUT LIKE I DID WITH MACK!" she shrieks with a unnaturally big grin. He squeezes the heart as blood squirts out of it. My hand is shaking. I take Nadine's hand.

"Nadine. Please." I plead to her as she drops the heart.  
"Sheryl made the butlers take everything away. Everything that reminded me of you. But I held onto that Squidintine's Day card. Remember Cayden? Remember the card Cayden?! With the two squids using their tentacles to make a heart! It's the only thing that I had Cayden!"

"Nadine." I said. My heart starts breaking.

"Then Steve finds the card and burns it in front of me. And you know what I did?"

"Please."

"I got a knife and sliced it out! It's so easy! Doing it on that stupid, nerdy kid and with Mack made it so much easier!"  
"Kid?" I said. Then it hit me. Nadine killed Seymore. Mack might've been defending himself. The blood was on her knife. She couldn't have been strong or fast enough to swipe the knife back.

"Oh Nadine." I said as I hold onto her.  
"Heeheehee! I knew you'd like it!"

"Nadine. Please. You need help. Real help."

"Help? Ohhh that's right! You gotta help me throw the trash out!" she said as she breaks free from me and run towards my adopted parents room.

"Oh no." I said. Fearing the worst as I chase her. She opens their door and I see their dismembered bodies on their bed, with several trash bags on the floor. Rachel. Dann. They weren't good parents, but they didn't deserve this.

"With our fake parents gone, we can finally be together forever!" Nadine says as she gives me a chilling laugh as she casually puts their pieces in the trash bags.

"I...I didn't want this Nadine." I said as I kneel and hold my head. I just can't.

"Yeah you did Cayden! You always talk how much you hate them. How they never gave you love. So I made their hearts into yummy soup! Their love's now inside you! In me too! Now they'll love you and me forever!"

I couldn't think. I couldn't think after hearing that. I start gagging. I puked out everything. I could taste the soup as it came up my throat. I puke even more from it.  
"What's wrong Cayden? You sick?" Nadine said a caring tone. She stops stuffing Rachel's head into the bag and holds me.

"Shhhhh Cayden. Shhh. It's okay. I'll take care of you forever and ever." I instinctively push her away. I then run into my room, lock my door, and get my phone from my other pair of pants. I pause for a moment to think how stupid that was. I could've run out the apartment. Then I rummage through my other pants, only to find my phone's not there. I search my clothes ridden floor for it. Nadine knocks my door.

"Caaayyyyddeeeeen." Nadine says. "Let me in."

I search more frantically. My heart begins pounding. Nadine begins to bang on the door.  
"Caaayyddeeen. Caaayyydeeen. CAAAYYYYDEEEEN!" Her bangs begin to turn into pounds.

"OPEN THE FREAKING DOOR CAYDEN!" she shrieks. I finally find my phone under my bed. I turn it on to see that it only got 1% of battery life. I waste no time and dial 911 as fast as my phone allows me to. Hope came to me when someone answers.

"Inkopolis Police Departmen-" My phone cuts her off as it shuts itself down. I take my bed mattress and try to use it to cover the door. Nadine suddenly stops pounding the door.

"I'm sorry Cayden." she says in a cutesy tone. "You must be in danger! And you can't open the door! That's why you won't open it! Don't worry Cayden! I'll be right back!"

I hear her footsteps fade and the door opening. I lower my mattress and was about to open the door, but stop myself. What if she's actually not gone? What if she pretended to leave? What if she's at my door right now? I try to find the charger for my phone. It wasn't in its usual place. Nadine must've taken it. Good thing my room is so messy, she couldn't find it. I found my spare USB cable, but no power adapter. I boot up my laptop and connect the cable and my phone. I slap my head, noticing that I can use Squype and call the police. I try, but find out I have no internet. My guess is that Nadine destroyed my router. Fear is filling me up as I impatiently wait for my laptop to charge my phone. After twenty minutes, I jump when I hear a loud knocking on my apartment door.

"Hello?" said a voice of a man. Part of me wants to run and swing open the apartment door, but I'm still too afraid to try. There were several more knocks.

"Hello?! Inkopolis Police!" he shouts. "We got a disconnected 911 call from your son! Are you all alright!?"

I refuse to answer. I stay where it's safe. After a few minutes of waiting.

"If you do not answer the door, I have the legal right to force the door open! Last warning!" After a minute. "Okay then! 3, 2, 1. I'm coming in!"

I then hear the door kick open. After that, I can hear the cop say "What the Hell?". Not sure why, but it's a good sign that he knows something's wrong. I couldn't hold on any longer so I swing open my door. The cop looks like an ordinary cop equipped with a gun, which was drawn.  
"Officer! You gotta get me outta here!" I said.

"Alright son, just calm down. Tell me what happened."

"There's no time! She could still be here!"

"Look kid. Calm down. Who's here?" Then I see Nadine, sliding into my sights like a ghost. I freeze. I try to warn the cop or scream, but too late. Nadine runs behind him and the tip of a knife pops out of the cop's chest. The cop breathing became small gasps as he looks down at his wound. Blood spreads all over his chest. He drops to his knees with a look of shock on his face. Behind him is Nadine. Her grin as big as her head. Her eyes gaze at me longingly and happily.

(Author's Note: Happy Halloween everyone. I wanted to post this on Halloween, but I couldn't help myself. I had to get this out there. Thank you all again for reading. Hope this isn't too mature for a violation.)


	9. Chapter 9: An Inkling's LOVE

"Naughty, naughty Cayden." said Nadine as she pouts. I stand there with my heart beating faster than an Aerospray.

"I'm gonna have to punish you Cayden." she says with glee in her voice. She takes her knife and sensually licks it. "Punish. You. Good."

I run back in my room. I try to slam the door, but the knife prevents it by sticking between the wall and the doorframe. I can feel Nadine pushing through. Her strength is intense.

"Nadine! Please! If you really love me, you'd stop!" I scream. Nadine pushes even harder.  
"Nuh uh uh, Cayden." said Nadine. "Inviting a stranger in the house. That's naughty Cayden. Naughty!"

I should've I stayed in my room in the first place! Stupid! Stupid! I look around to see what I can do. I look at my open and messy closet to see a bunch of my weapons inside and my ink tank. I look at my Splat Roller that was hanging out the most. I decided to act now. I shoulder tackle the door and then run to my Splat Roller. Nadine does it too, but stumbles when the door swings open. I put on my ink tank and it quickly fills up with ink. I grab my weapon and subweapons. I throw my Curling Bomb at the door and immediately start swimming in it. Nadine jumps at the knife in the wall. I jump out, switch out my squid form, and bring my Splat Roller down on her. She's too fast. I got her, but her drives the knife in my gut. As that knife drives into my intestines, my Splat Roller splats her. She plops on the floor as a squid. I follow along in my Inkling form. I scream in pain, but screaming is making the pain worse. Nadine lied there stunned. I take the knife and throw it across the room. I begin crawling away from her. It'll take at least a minute for her to turn back into her Inkling form and get me. I crawl past the dead cop and try to get to the door. I slide my ink tank off in order to get to the door faster. I grab the knob and pull it open. I'm so happy to see the sunset. I stand up to run, holding my bleeding stomach, but Nadine wraps her arms around my stomach.

"Heeheehee. Caaaaaaaayyydeeeeeen." she sings. She yanks me back in. Her yank made me scream in terror and pain. I begin to panic and flail my arms around. Nadine ignores it as she tries to drag me back in my room. I elbow her head to loosen her grip on me. Once she did I bolt for the door. Nadine hops over the table to grab a cleaver on the counter. She then throws it at me. I back away, but I'm running so quickly I slip and fall. Nadine stomps on top of my stomach. An explosion of pain nearly knocks me unconscious, until Nadine grabs the cleaver she threw. She swings down the cleaver and cuts off one of my legs. I was in more pain than I could ever imagine. Even the Saiju couldn't hurt me this badly. Nadine then proves my point by cutting off my other leg. I look in horror as what she has done. It was too much for me. I finally fainted from the horror of what was once my girlfriend. At least for a bit. A bucket of cold water slaps my face. I'm on my bed with Nadine holding the bucket. She still has the crazy look in her eyes.

"Nadine. Please. Stop it. Please stop!" I plead.  
"Hmmm. Mmmmm. Nope!" she says as she mounts on top of me. My gut felt numb, but the pain comes right back. I look at Nadine. Still wearing nothing, but a blood stained apron. Her eyes wide and unblinking. A creepy smile across her face. A knife in her hand.

"Nadine. Please. I love you. Please." I beg.

"If you really love me, you wouldn't have called the police on me." said Nadine. "That means you don't love me Cayden."  
"Nadine. I've always loved you."

"Wrong. You loved Splatisfaction. You've just love our team."  
"Nadine. What do you meanAAGH!" Nadine bounces once. My gut shoots the pain straight through me.

"You love our team and only our team. Whenever Leo and Sarah aren't around, you aren't as happy. Even during our best dates, you're never as happy as playing Salmon Run with Leo and Sarah! You belong to me and only me!" Nadine's tone begins to sounds vindictive. "I wanted Splatisfaction dead Cayden! Wanted it dead so freaking bad! Leo and Sarah were always in my way! I wanted them dead! I've always wanted them dead!"  
"Nadine. You don't mean that. They're like family. Remember back at the orphanage? That we'll always be together? How much you and Sarah love each other like sisters? And Leo like a big brother?" Nadine calms down a little. Her eyes stop having that crazy look.

"Yeah. Me and Sarah always promised to be sisters. And I like calling Leo a big bro." she begins crying. "I..I want things to g-g-go back to normal. Back to th-th-the th- the way it was. I want Spl-Spl-Splatisfaction back together again, Cayden. I miss Leo. I miss Sarah. I miss them so much!"

Nadine cries her eyes out. Now I know the Nadine I love is still there. Despite the state I'm in, I hold her hand and reach for her knife with my other hand.  
"It's..urg...okay Nadine."

"Nothing's going back to normal! Nothing makes sense anymore! Everything's wrong! Nothing's right!"

"Shh. Babe. It's okay. Things are bad now, but we can get through this. Give me the knife. Let's go to the hospital. Fix all this. Undo all this. When it's finally normal, we can...ach...have a fresh start and...GAH!...start our life away from all this. Together." I take her hand and try to gently remove the knife.  
"Cayden..I feel so..so..empty" she says crying. Her grip on the knife tightens. "Sarah. I should've cut her heart out and eat it. Have her and her love inside me."

"No Nadine. Don't go back. Please! We're so close! We can fix this!"

"Heehehe. Leo. Where's Leo? I want his love inside me too!" Nadine holds her head laughing like crazy.  
"HAHAHAHAahahahahHAhA! Sounds so NAUGHTY when I pHraSe iT likE thAT!"

"No! Nadine!" I scream in horror. Damn it. Damn it all.  
"LeO iS NOT HEre. CaaAaaYdaaaaaAAann." She looks down at me.

"You DoN'T LOvE me nOW!?" she says as she puts the knife under my shirt. She slices it off. My heart pounds so damn hard that my ear can feel it.

"HeArT CAYden! I'lL eAT your HEaRt ouT! FilL ME With lOVe CaYdEN! FILl me wItH LOOOooOooOOOVe!" her mind is completely lost. She brings down the knife. I grab her hands. I've giving everything I got, put she's too strong. Plus I'm weak from the bloodloss. Nadine laughs as she brings the knife closer and closer to my chest.

"i LoOooOoOOOvVEe yoooOOuUuUU CAYDeN! LOOOoOoOVoE YOU!"

The tip of the knife slowly sinks into my chest. My mind is so freaking panicked that all I can think of is that I'm going to die. I begin screaming in pain as Nadine puts her full weight on the knife. As the knife sinks deeper and deeper in my chest, I start to cry and scream. It's curtains for me. Until I hear smashing outside.

"FREEZE! POLICE!" shout two cops who appear in front of my door. Both of them are equipped with tasers. "PUT THE KNIFE DOWN! PUT THE KNIFE DOWN!"

Nadine turns her neck 180 degrees. She takes the knife out of my chest and charges at them. Both fire their tasers at her. The probes stab into her chest and shocks her. That didn't stop her. She stabs one of them in a gut. Suddenly two more cops come and tackle her down.

"HEeheeHEEHEHAHAHAH! CAAYDEEeEEne! CAyDeEEEN! HAHAHHHAHEHEhEheHEHEHa!" Nadine screams over and over again. Two more cops show up, take out their billy clubs, and begin to beat her. Nadine was still struggling and still trying to fight back. A cop gets a good hit on her head and she's finally knocked out. Or dead. I don't even know anymore. One cop comes up to me. She examines me.  
"Terry! Get me a medical crew and a hospital! This kid's losing a lotta blood!"

"Yes mam!" a cop talks into his walkie talkie for a call. Nadine is wrapped up in a straightjacket. I start to feel sleepy.

"Hey! Hey! Don't fall asleep kid! Stay awake! Stay awake! Come on kid, say something!" said the cop. I couldn't think anymore. I just start laughing. Not sure why. Maybe it's because my girlfriend tried to kill and eat me. Maybe it's because all my friends are truly gone. Maybe it's the blood loss, my missing legs, and the dead bodies built up because of me. Maybe it's the insanity of it all! Who cares anymore!? It's all over! My life's over! Everyone I love is dead or gone! Ain't that funny!?EVERYTHING SCREWED! AIN'T LIFE GRAND! Hahahaahaahahahaha! HAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!

 **(The Present)**

"And that's how it went down. I got sent to the hospital. They told me I laughed for an entire day. Then they sent me to the mental hospital. It sucked. All we talked about was how we're feeling and do stupid exercises that lasted for more than half a day. Had to go through the entire process of growing and training my limbs again. After getting out, Grizzo called and pulled some strings. He finally got me the apartment I was promised for working the "off days", change my age to 18, and gave me a whole lot of money. All I do is Salmon Run and working on off days. Killing Saiju and watching teammates actually die." Cora, as always, sits there and listens to every word. She had the look of sadness in her eyes. Or maybe it was pity. I don't know.

"What happened to Nadine after all that?" she nervously asks.

"After being convicted for the murder of her adopted parents, my adopted parents, a cop, and (to my surprise) my neighbors, she was sent to an insane asylum. Wondered how the cops found out about what's happening. Found out that the cop she killed had his hand on his walkie talkie the entire time and dispatch overheard everything. Also, Grizzco has cut any ties they have with Nadine. As far everyone knows, Nadine is just another victim of child abuse gone crazy. At least Grizzco technically told the truth this time." I said. I look out the ferris wheel. I begin thinking about the good times with Nadine. Sitting together and watch anime. Talking about the future. Talking about what we'd do if we got married. I then stop, because thinking about good times will lead to thinking about the bad.

"Do you still love her?" ask Cora. I think about it for a while.  
"Yeah. I still do. I still love her, but I moved on. The girl I loved is dead. Now, she's just a soulless and mindless monster wearing her face."

"I'm really sorry Cayden. I shouldn't have made you talk about this."

"It's fine Cora. It's fine. It's over between me and her. You deserve the truth." I said to her. When we reach the bottom, the ride operator knocks on our door.

"Uhh the park is closing. You guys gotta go home. " he said. Me and Nadine leave the wheel and leave the park. We take the train back home. It's a silent ride. I didn't want anymore awkward silences between us so I blurt out.

"Can I walk you home?" Cora jumps from that question.

"N-no! It's okay!"

"It's the least I can do."

"Umm….Well... Okay. But please don't judge." I raise a brow. What does she mean by that? When we arrive at Flounder Heights. We walk by multiple apartment buildings and she takes me under a bridge. There's a cardboard house built right under it. Inside it is four broken futons stacked together to work as a functional one. Next to it is an last year's laptop model. Hooking up to it is the charger, plug up to what looks like an old house backup generator from a decade ago, with a plug wired into it. Clear garbage bags cover all of them. Probably to prevent water damage.

"You're….homeless?" I ask. She looks down in shame and embarrassment.  
"Y-yeah." she squeaks. From closer examinations, condensation is breaking down the cardboard.

"Where do you get your food?"

"Restaurant dumpsters and handouts from my friends if I'm desperate. I usually save up cash I make from Turf Wars for computer parts, bathhouses, daily appliances, the laundromat, more cardboard when a storm ruins my house, and a cheap futons whenever one of my futons break completely."

"Geez Cora. You don't have to live like this. You're still young. Can't you go to foster care or go live with some relatives? "

"I can't do that Cayden."

"Look, I know foster care and yeah, it sucks pretty bad. But at least you got a place to live in."

"It's not that I don't want to. It's that I literally can't.

"What do you mean?"

"Cayden. I'm… I'm an Octoling." My eyes widen. I've heard rumors of Octolings getting into our society, but I ignored them. Cora fidgets nervously. Cora acts like a kid in trouble or something.

"You're kidding right?"

"No. Cayden. Look at my face and my eyes." She looks up at me and I see her beautiful face. I stare at it to only notice the difference. Her eyes. We Inklings have a black mask like markings on our eyes. I guess that Octolings have two circle markings around their eyes and that's it.

"You hate me now, don't you?" she says looking down in shame. "Because I'm an Octoling?"

Oh yeah, that's right. In History class, we were taught that the Octarions are the enemy. There are still nutjobs who talk about how the Octarions are trying to kill us and start a 2nd Great Turf War. I bet Cora was taught the same in reverse. I don't believe that. No. That isn't how I feel. I hold Cora's hand. She gasps and blushes.

"Cora. After everything that's happened, why would I hate you? I won't let history define how I feel about you. You've been more than a good friend to me. You've helped me up when I fall down. You held onto me when I go through a hard time. Cora…" I then give her a kiss. After a good long minute, I let her go, her face is redder than a redfish. Surprisingly, my PTSD didn't trigger and I'm glad.

"Cora." I said. "Move in with me. I'll take care of you."

Cora starts crying her eyes out. She sobs like a baby. I take out some fast food napkins I had in my pocket. She quickly takes them as she wipes her eyes and nose.  
"Cayden!" she sobs. "Thank you! Th-th-thank you so much! I'm so happy! I'm so happyyyy!"

I hug her. Hug her tightly. She hugs me back.

"Shhh. It's okay. It's okay. It's alright now." I said with a smile on my face.


	10. Chapter 10: Ghosts of the Past

Cora's moves in real quick. She just takes her laptop and cables and abandons her "home". She still covers them with plastic garbage bag to "respect the tech that cared for her." She lived in constant fear that a cop will pass by and force her out at best. Worst case scenario, she's sent back to the Octarions. She's so happy that she's moving in with me. She doesn't have to live in fear anymore.

"Wow." she said when she walks in my apartment. "It's so-uuummm- normal."

"Yeah there's nothing special about my apartment. Never decorated it. Always busy with Salmon Running." Cora looks around in curiosity. She sets her kinda dirty laptop on my table. She quickly picks it back up.

"I'm sorry! I forgot how dirty it was!" she says apologetically. I tell her it's fine. She sets it back down. She stands around awkwardly.

"Wanna drink?" I said to her. She nervously nods. I toss her some Tentacola and she catches it. I got some myself. I turn on my T.V and go on Woo-tube to play some Squid Sisters. In the middle of their song, I ask.

"By the way Cora. About those guys you hang out with?"

"What guys?"

"Y'know. That guy and girl you hung out with when we first met."

"Oh, Jimmy and Amy? What about them?"

"Couldn't you have moved in with them or ask for help?"

"I-I can't do that. I'm fortunate enough to be called their friend. I'm not sure how they'll feel about Octarions though, but it's smart enough for me not to talk about it." she drinks her cola. I decided not to push it any further while I think up a conversation starter. Couldn't think of any. Out of nowhere, we started talking about anime. She always watches anime online with the wi-fi signals she hacked into. She watches a lot of anime similar to Nadine's liking, but unlike Nadine, Cora was more into story than action. After a while, I wondered if she showered.

"You need a shower Cora?" Cora hesitates and nods. She does smell a little funny. That's when I notice she doesn't have any spare clothes. I walk to my room to get her my undershirt and shorts. I give it to her and notice they're both too big for her.

"Hold on Cora. I'll be right back." I said.

"Where you going?" she asks.

"Get you some clothes." I tell her.

"Oh! It's alright! You don't have to!" she says all flustered.

"If you're going to live here, you should at least have some clothes to wear." I go out to shop at the Arowana Mall since it's ten minutes away. It's so weird to be here. I haven't shopped here since Nadine and Sarah forced me and Leo to try on clothes. I shake off the feeling of nostalgia and enter in a clothing store. It was weird buying undergarments for a girl. Some ladies find it weird that I'm looking for them. I just ignore them as I just take whatever and buy them. I go home and it's raining hard. Good thing I bought the undergarments wrapped tightly in plastic. I kept my pace. I'll probably need a shower after this. Soaked and drenched in water, I made it home. Only to find my door wide open.

"Aww crud." I said. Did those suits from Grizzco barge in my apartment again!? I begin to fear for Cora. I drop the bag of stuff and run in to grab my bat.

"Get away from her you bastards!" I shout. To my surprise, it wasn't guys in suits. No. It was three girls armed with weird looking Splattershots. They have these dark red, unkempt, and matching hairstyles with metallic masks over their eyes. They wore surprisingly sexy black leather clothes that expose their bellies, leather straps tied onto parts of their legs, and boots to match their style.

"Take him down." said the one with what I think is seaweed sticking out of her hair. Both start shooting at me. I jump out my door and take cover. One swims up to me and I swing my bat the second she pops right out. I smack off her mask and notice her facial markings.

"An Octoling!?" I said. The girl tries to shoot me, but I klonk her in the head and knock her out. I look inside and a hail of ink flings past my face.

"Who are you?!" I yell at them. No response. Shouldn't have expected an answer. I quickly take and equip the unconscious Octoling's weird Splattershot, Splat Bomb, and her ink tank. The tank fills up with my ink as I ink myself a path and toss a bomb. The Octolings take cover as I swim to my kitchen. I flip over the table and use it as cover. One Octoling tries to ambush me from the side, but I splat her. Her (what I just now notice) octopus form plops to the ground dazed. I almost got splatted by the other one, but I sink into my ink and pop right out to splat her. Suddenly, two vault over the table and shoot me. I splat one of them, but their ambush splat me. My squid body plops hard on the ground as I lay in a daze. An Octolings presses her boot on top of me. The one with the seaweeds hops squats in front of me with her weapon pointing at my face.

"Okay punk. Where is she?" she asks. I can assume she's talking about Cora.

"Who the heck are you talking about?" I said playing dumb. The Octoling subordinate steps on me harder.

"Her name's Cora Ebisu. An Octoling like us. Where is she?"

"Don't know who you're talkin' about." seaweed face snaps her fingers and the Octoling stepping on me is now standing on me. I feel like I'm gonna explode. Like a killer whale lying on top of a water bed. As I grunt and groan, seaweed head grabs Cora's laptop on the ground.

"Hmmmm. If you don't know who she is, why's her laptop on YOUR table. Better start talking squid boy. Or else you might go pop." I struggle for air and try to force myself back into my normal form.

"She's not going back with you." I growl.

"Ebisu is an important asset. We're not leaving without her."

"What's she to you?" I grunt out.

"You see, she's our spy boy. Her job is to infiltrate Inkopolis and report to Octarion High Command about the locations of defected Octolings. But she never came back. If we get her, they'll try her for going AWOL at best. Treason at worst." Cora's a spy? Didn't really see that coming. But if Cora never reported to them, that means she's a good person.

"I'm not giving her up, you b#$ch." for a minute, seaweed face said nothing. She waves her hand and the Octoling standing on me lets me go. I gasp for air until seaweed face grabs me and slams me on my kitchen counter.

"Find me a knife." she said. The Octolings raided my stuff and threw everything out until one finds a knife with a cutting board. Seaweed head slams me on the board. Then she takes the knife and lightly presses it against my head.

"We know she has nowhere to hide Inkling. We've been tracking her down for months. We only recently found out about that stupid little box of hers. Last known location is your home. You get one more chance squid. Or else, we're having calamari tonight." I glare at her. I lift up my mouth and squirt ink onto her face.

"Have it your way." she says. She begins slicing into my forehead. Lighting flashes as I see Nadine on seaweed head's face. Grinning psychotically. I panicked a little and scream on top of my lungs. Suddenly, two Inkbomb were thrown into the room. All the Octolings except their leader were splated. Seaweed head stops cutting into me and readies her weapon. I crawl all the way into the sink. I stretch my tentacles to hoist myself up. I see seaweed head get herself into a firefight. Right until the two suits come in and splat her. Never thought I'd be happy to see the suits here.

"Quite the mess you have here Cayden." one of them said. I crawled off my counter. The other guy takes out his phone and makes a call. The suit comes up next to me and squats down.

"Now Cayden. Can you tell me why are there Octarion agents in your home?" I look at him ticked off. They may have saved my life, but I still don't trust them or like them.

"Don't know. They got the wrong guy and tried to get answers out of me."

"What did they want Cayden?" the suit said with a more serious tone.

"They're looking for someone." I said. I start thinking up names.

"They're looking for someone named Leo." I lied. I couldn't think of any other name.

"You mean your friend Leo?" said the suit. I finally turned back into my normal form. I grab a paper towel and cover my wound.

"No. Not that Leo. Leo's a common name."

"Not that common Cayden. And it's too much of a coincidence that they'll come to you for someone named Leo."

"Look, that's what they asked. I tried fighting them off and they got me. Tried to get answers about Leo and I told them to get bent." The suit stares at me for a moment through his shades. One Octoling was able to go back to normal, until the suit shoots her and splats her again without even looking.

"Alright then Cayden. Step outside, I'll get you medical treatment." I do as he says. Five minutes later, a bunch of guys in military uniforms come in with cylinder shaped containers run into my apartment. A minute later, they all came out with the Octolings, in their octopus forms, inside the containers full of weird colored water. I didn't question it. I waited until the suits let me back in my own home. Five minutes later, the suits came out.

"Everything's back to normal now Cayden. Have a nice day." the suit said as he hurries out.

"Wait." I said. He stops for a moment.

"Yes Cayden?"

"Why did you come here?" I ask.

"We were here to check up on you." he said. I don't buy it.

"With weapons at the ready?" I said.

"We saw your door open and lights off and ink all over. We expected a break in and we were correct." I stare back at him, hiding my disbelief.

"Whatever. Leave me alone." I said. The suit walks back downstairs. I listened for him to get in his car and drive off. I run back inside to see what they touched. It seems like nothing was touched. Cora's laptop is still on the floor. I hold onto it in fear. Where did Cora go? I look in every possible hiding place. Nothing.

"Cora?" I call out. I look around more frantically.

"Cora!?" I begin shouting. A thoughts crossed my mind. What if the military guys found Cora? What if the suits found Cora? What if she's one of the Octolings in those jars!?

"CORA!?" I begin shouting in panic. I hug her laptop.

"Not again." I begin crying. I lost someone close to me. Again. I begin damning myself. I shouldn't have let her get close to me. I shouldn't have let her live with me. If she hadn't met me, she wouldn't have been taken away. I slump onto the ground on my knees.

"Cora." I cry. I hug her laptop even harder.

"Cayden?" I hear behind me. Cora walks out of my bedroom. Her laptop slips out my hand. I get up and run towards her. I hug her tightly.

"Cora!" I cry as she hugs me back. We hold onto each other for a good while. I can feel her shaking in fear, but that eventually subsides.

"I thought they got you." I said to her.

"I climbed out your window and hid behind a trash container when I heard the door break open."

"Cora. I was so scared of them finding you and taking you away."

"You mean the Octolings?"

"No. I mean-nevermind. You're alright."

I let her go and take a good look at her. She looks at me back. I love her. I love her so much. I then kiss her passionately and she kisses me back. We both plop onto my bed. We stop kissing for a moment and look at eachothers' eyes. We both smile and kiss some more.

"Cayden." she whispers affectionately.

"Cora." I said back the same way. We kiss as we both take off our shirts, then our pants, then everything else. Haven't done this in a long time, but we made love to each other. I hold her hands as she holds mine. Calling out each other's names and telling each other how much we love each other.

(Next Morning)

I wake up with the sun shining into the room. I stretch my legs and my arms. I look down to see Cora sleeping close to me. Her face on my side and drooling. And snoring. Her hand on my chest. My stirring causes her to wake up. Her eyes all droopy as she blinks. It takes her a few seconds to figure out what's going on and her face becomes redder than a red inked squiddymelon. She rolls over and covers her head with a pillow.

"Hey." I said.

"H-hey." she muffled through the pillow. I smile a little bit.

"C'mon. You don't gotta be embarrassed." I said as a snuggled up to her. Wrapping my arm around her. She takes the pillow off and rolls over to face me. Even sleepy, she's pretty. We smile, then we kiss. We hold onto each other. I got a lotta things wrong with me, but with Cora by my side, I think everything's going to be fine.


	11. Chapter 11: Fear of Death

It's been a week since all that Octarion craziness. Cora's adjusted living in my apartment pretty well. She fixed a lot of things like the lights in my room, the plumbing in my sink, and upgraded my T.V to have 1080p. We sleep together in the same bed and that makes me really happy. Sometimes we can't control ourselves. Today is no exception. We lie together on my bed, closer than we have ever been. My arm around her and her head on my chest. Something felt off though. She seems a lot quieter than usual.

"What's wrong Cora?" I ask her.  
"Well…." looks like she wants to say something, but didn't.  
"You can tell me what's wrong Cora." I said holding her hand. She squeezes my hand.

"Did...did those Octolings say anything?" she said. Cora and I hadn't talked about the Octolings at all. I decide to tell her the truth.

"They said they wanted you Cora. They said you're a spy and your last name's Ebisu." I said. She squeezes my hand harder. She didn't say anything for a while. She takes a deep breath.

"Yeah. I'm a spy. At least I was. Life in Octarion society is mostly militaristic. Our futures were decided for us. We all were either repairmen or soldiers. And if we're lucky idols, but they mostly do propaganda or anti-Inkling songs. I got to be an agent. Lucky me. Only a select few get to be agents. I was given an important mission to infiltrate Inkopolis, find groups of AWOL Octolings, and report their locations. There are apparently places funded by Callie, Marie, Marina, and most recently Pearl that hide and protect escaped Octolings. I had to pretend to be one in order to find them. I eventually found their locations, but before I send in my report, I discovered how much I love this city. All of us were taught that Inklings are the enemy and they must be destroyed. But I began to think differently while searching for Octolings. It's wonderful. Everyone's happy. Everyone's free to choose what they want to be. Even the Octolings I found are free to be what they want. Which is why I became homeless. I didn't want the Octarions finding me and the rest of the escaped Octolings. I was a crucial asset to the operation. They'll find me no matter what. In order for me to hide, I stayed away from Octolings as much as possible. Never know who else is a spy. "

"Geez Cora." I said. I'm having a rough time comprehending this. "Here I thought I had problems bigger than anyone."

"Well. That's kinda why I stayed with you. You got a big secret and so do I. But recently, I've been thinking that we shouldn't be together anymore." I quickly get up. Then again, any sudden break up will do that.

"W-why?" I ask.

"Cayden. You almost died because of me. I barely stayed here a few hours and the Octarions already found me. You got lucky, but I'm scared they'll be smarter next time." I smirk at that.

"Cora, I'll be fine. I've taken on many Saijus. Monsters that can actually kill or maim me. If they couldn't kill me, I doubt a bunch of Octarions can take me on." I said brimming with confidence. Cora wasn't amused. In fact, she's really angry.

"Cayden, Octoling agents aren't giant lumbering monsters! They're trained assassins!" she yells. I jump a little bit.  
"They almost killed you! This isn't a Turf War or any 4 on 4 match! There's no spawn point for you to get back to! There won't be hand shakes or throwing fits after losing!" Cora's at the verge of tears.  
"You got hurt because of me! You almost died because of me! Maybe you're used to the thought of dying, but I'm not!" Cora begins crying. "If you died Cayden, whether it's an Octarion or Saiju. If you died. I-I-"

Cora then sobs. I feel like a jackass now. I hold her tightly.  
"Cora. It's okay." I said. She's still sobbing.  
"Cora. I'm not used to death. It still scares me stiff. I get how scared you are. I feel that fear each time I face a Saiju with a newbie, but I do what I can to stop that fear from coming true."

"Cayden." she sobs. "I...I never felt this way before. I'm sorry. I'm just...I'm just scared."

"It's fine." I let her sob a bit more.

"I love you Cora." we snuggle close. I wipe away her tears.

"I love you too Cayden. Stay with me forever."

"I'll always will Cora. I promise." I said kissing her.

 **(One month later)**

Here I am. Killing Salmonids. Killing Saijus. Just another day of it. I'm with two guys and a girl. A brown skinned teen name Ted, an adult named Arno, and the dark skinned girl name Darya. Don't know Darya and Ted very well, but I did work with Arno a bunch of times. We talk a few times, but he stopped talking after his son passed away. All I know is that they have experience fighting Saiju. We landed on the uncharted island where me and Nadine had our final Run. Hate coming here, but I got used to it. We took down a lot of Saiju. Seem to appear more frequently lately. Maybe that's why I'm working with these guys. We took down the last Saiju as I did my usual tactic of shooting a Sting Ray while inside their eye socket. After washing the flesh off me near the water, I regroup with my team.

"Mr. Grizz." said Arno in his earpiece. "We're done here. Take us home."  
For some reason there's static.

"Grizzo. Answer!" I said. Still static. As me and Arno try to make contact, Darya hits us in the arm.

"What was that for!?" said Arno.

"Saiju! Ten o'clock!" said Darya. We look that way to see the Saiju emerge from the water. We get our weapons ready. It's just another day in the Off Day Crew. However, something was different. I hear falling water behind me so I turn around. Something enormous is emerging out the water.

"Impossible." I thought. I then shout, "Saiju at your 6!"

Arno turns around ticked off.

"What are you stupi-" his words cut off when he sees what I see. A Saiju emerges out of the water. We both turn around. Two more Saiju appear. TWO. MORE. SAIJU.

"What the Hell?!" Ted shouts. "I thought Saiju only show up one at a time!"

"Stop whining and just kill em!" Darya yells back as she swims towards the Saiju. All three Saiju start gargling and fire their rays at us. It misses us at we swim towards the Saijus. The three took on the two and I took on the one. I did my usual tactic of climbing its body using my knife and popping the eyes. This time I got two different specials. One's a Sting Ray, the other's a good ol' fashion Inkstrike. They stopped making these, because the gamepads broke easily and randomly striked anywhere when they do. Fixing them is annoying and expensive and everyone eventually stopped using them. Grizzo stocked up a ton of em and they're mine to use. The Inkstrike popped open from the case and I leave it in the Saiju's socket. I press the gamepad's touch screen and the missile shoots its way through the skull and into the brain. The Saiju claws at its own face until the missile explodes in its head. The tornado that it makes swirls its head, until it blows out of its head. The Saiju falls onto the ground dead and its flesh melts into the sands. Geez it reeks so damn bad. I can never get used to the smell.

My team dispatches the Saijus pretty quick. They all follow the standard procedure that I use on dispatching a Saiju. The last two fall and melt into the ground. We regroup for a moment to catch our breath.

"Grizzo! We need help!" I shout. Still nothing but static.

"What's going on!?" said Arno. "Since when did Saijus appear more than one at a time!?

"I don't know. This is weird. I still can't connect to Grizzo." I said.

"Let's just squid jump back on the boat!" said Ted as he attempts it. He squid jumps high into the air, but plops right back down.

"Why are you back?" Arno asks angrily.

"The boat! It's in freaking pieces!" said Ted. We all look at each other with worried expressions.  
"Crap! Another Saiju at our 6!" shout Darya. We turn around to see five more come from our six.

"Holy mackerel! There's more!" shouts Ted.

"We have eyes kid!" said Darya.

"No! I mean right behind us!" said Ted. We turn again to see three Saiju emerge from the water. All simultaneously shoot their rays.

"Run!" I shout as I ink a way for me. I was hoping they will follow, but all took their own ways. All the Saijus fire their beams. It's like multiple stingers firing at us in Salmon Run. Only difference is, we die if we get hit. I master dodging multiple Stinger attacks, but this is way too much. My weapon is damaged, but I make it unscathed. My team however, isn't very lucky. Darya got Vaporized completely. All too familiar. When a Saiju shoots its mouth beam and hits someone, they disintegrate. Nothing left. Screams were cut abruptly. Argo loses his arm and his head is a little grazed from a beam. Ted gets away, but his Grizzco Brella is broken.

"Ted! Ted come back!" I shout. Ted is in full panic mode as he runs for cover. Not that there is any. He makes one by desperately digging a hole in the sand. Of course, the Saijus get their beams ready again and fire on Ted. He screams on top of his lungs. Crying for his mom. I try to fill my ink tank quickly, but I'm too late. Ted's cries went abruptly silent.  
"Arno, we gotta get outta here!" I shout to him.  
"No." said Arno. Walking towards the Saijus. "I'm taking these sons of b #ches down. " I look at his head to see part of his brain exposed. Pieces of it are missing. That beam did way more damage than I thought.

"Holy crap. Arno. Your head." I said.

"Gotta get that money, kid." said Arno as he takes out a knife. "Gotta pay off Andy's surgery bill! Just one payment left!"

Without another word, Arno charges at the Saiju. I try to stop him, but he outran me. I try to ink a path, but my Grizco Blaster's spills all the ink out. I try to fix it, but the Saiju's beams fire at me as I run the Hell away. Arno completely ignores the Saiju ink. Surprisingly it didn't slow him down. The Saijus walk near him. When Arno gets close enough, he stabs one Saiju in its leg. It roars in anger and kicks Arno so hard he splatted. A lifesaver floats out. His squid form stretches his tentacle out at the sky.

"Hey Andy! Daddy's right here! Andy! Throw the clam in the basket! That's my boy!" he shouts waving his arms with a happy look on his face. The Saiju raises its foot over him.

"Arno!" I scream on top of my lungs. Arno lowers his tentacles and picks up a fictional baby.

"Weeee! Weee! My boy! My little baby bo-" CRUSH. The Saiju's foot smooshes Arno and his lifesaver. I've seen a lot of deaths by these things, but that one will haunt me as badly as Sarah's. I try to fix my Blaster, but no good. The holes in its tank are too big and too many for me to fix. I had nothing. Nothing to defend myself. I look at my situation. Saiju's are surrounding me. I knew this is the end.


	12. Chapter 12: A Miracle?

I always knew this job would kill me. Part of me wanted that. I stopped thinking that I'm saving the world from the Salmonids. I gave up living for something. I gave up my friends. I gave up hope. I gave up on life. This job is an excuse to live. But what's the point of living if your life is crap? Why bother keep going? I ask this everyday. That was until I met her. A reason to live. Cora came by and made it all at least bearable. Hell, she made me happy to be alive. Thinking about Cora brought something out of me. Something I thought long dead. The will to live. I didn't want to die. I want to live. I want to live and see Cora's face again. I swore to her that I wouldn't die. I won't die. I will not die! I get back up at point at the Saijus.

"C'mon you bastards! I'm not gonna die! I promised her damn it! I promised!" I yell with determination. I'm going to survive this. I will live. I take out my Sting Ray and take aim at the group of five Saiju in front of me. I shoot at two of them and their eyes pop. They start thrashing around in anger. One accidently scratches the one I didn't shoot. The now injured Saiju got angry and attacked the other. The other Saiju I shot did the same to another. One Saiju without eyes sinks its teeth into another and rips out a massive chunk of flesh. One Saiju grabs another's armored chest and rips it off. Four Saijus begin fighting in each other in a fit of rage and brutal combat. The one uninjured in the group of five continued walking like nothing happened. It shoots its beam at me but I dodge it. I throw Splat Bombs to get closer. I get closer and closer to the last Saiju. Until a beam hits my thigh from behind. I trip and fall on my face. My face is covered in ink and sand. I look up at the Saiju. I try to get up quickly, but the Saiju kicks me. Not sure if it was on purpose or winding up to stomp on me, but it hurt. Really badly. I bounce on the sand near the Saijus on the opposite side near three other Saijus. I try to get up, but I plop back down. Hopelessness crept through me like playing Turf War with a bunch of lazy jackasses on your team. I try to get up, but I only fall over. I feel the adrenaline leaving me. I can't do this. All I can think about is how sorry I am to everyone. Especially Cora. I begin crying as I think about her. Cora. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I love you so much. The Saiju raises its foot. Suddenly, it's eyes pop.

Ride rails stretch themselves all around the area. Three guys in black leather tights with kevlar vests and wearing gas masks ride on the rails. Their gas masks are like real gas masks, not like the ones you can buy from Flow. Heads are covered in black with the masks covering them. All three were equipped with Grizzco weapons and harpoon guns, inking the entire area. They're Salmon Runners. They have to be. One guy jumps in the air and fires a harpoon straight into the eyeless Saiju's socket. The Saiju falls over and stays down. The other two have Sting Rays and fire at the other three Saiju. Their eyes bulge and pop as they go into a feral rage. Two of these gas masked Salmon Runners backflip off the rails at fire their harpoon guns straight through two Saijus' skulls. The third guy who killed the first Saiju jumps off the ride rail and lands on top of the last Saiju. He stabs his knife in the Saiju's skull. It continues to thrash about, but the Runner hangs on. The other two load their harpoon guns at the exact same pace and the same aim and fire their harpoons straight through the last Saiju's skull. The last Saiju came crashing down into the ocean. The Runner jumps off the Saiju and rolls into the sand. I get up while using my weapon as a crutch. I stare at the crew who saved my life. I walk up to them. What's weird is they didn't even look at me as I approach.

"Hey. Don't know who you guys are, but thanks. I really appreciate it." I said extending my hand to one of them. He still didn't look at me.

"Uhhh. Hello?" I said. Still no response. I poke at him. No response. I wave my hand in front of his face. He grabs my hand, then he throws` me down and twists my arm behind my back.  
"ACK! What the heck!" I shout. "Get off me!"

The guy didn't let go. He kept me pinned down as I struggled.  
"Get off me or else I'm kicking your ass!" I shout. Clearly he doesn't care.  
"Fine! If Grizzo gets involved, you started this!" I spin around and kick this jackass straight in the gut.

I didn't hear much a grunt coming from him. He takes a swing at me. His fist connects straight into my eye. I kick his leg and he falls over. My thigh is messed up, but the rest of me ain't. I then put him in a headlock. This guy's tough. Without struggling, he slowly gets up despite my headlock. He grabs me and does an over the shoulder throw on me. I get up to tackle him until I heard the crackle on the radio.  
"Kid! Stop!" it was Grizzo. I stop, but not because he wants me to.

"Where were you!?" I shout. Hot with anger and adrenaline.

"Sorry kid. There was too much static for me to hear."

"I have enough of your bullshit!"

"Watch the language kid! And the temper! You can't keep throwin' it out at random people, especially me! And especially those kids!"

"By the way, who the Hell are these guys!?"

"They're an elite Salmon Run crew. They only come when a buncha Saijus appear at once. That's all I can tell ya."

"Wow sounds oddly specific for a crew! Almost like you knew about multiple Saijus appearing!"

"Kid, I got state of the art, and maybe the only one, Saiju huntin' equipment around! I thought it's gonna be a normal Saiju hunt!" I don't buy that for a second. Three people are dead. I felt like I was going around in circles, so there's no point asking anymore question. Not like Grizzo will give me more information or the truth.

"Okay. Sure. But where didn't these elite jerkoffs save my entire crew from getting killed?!"

"Kid. They can only mobilize so fast. I'm sor-" Even with that softened expression, I still get mad.

"Shut up! I have enough of your stupid apologies! You act all tough, but you're just a coward hiding behind a freaking statue! Whenever I needed help, you weren't there! So much death and you could've prevented it! I don't care if I'm being unfair to you, but kiss my ass!"

"...What do you want me to do Cayden?" I sigh heavily. I turn to look at the Salmon Runners in black. They're all staring at me. I feel a cold chill run down my spine.

"Just…. take me home."

"...Alright kid. You got it. Sending the boat right to ya now." Seconds later, I see the boat in eyeshot. I look at these "elite" Salmon Runners and squid jump back on the boat. They never took their eyes off me.

(An hour later)

I'm walking home with a crutch. The Saiju only grazed me, so it wasn't too bad. Grizzo gave me extra money for it, so I have no complaints. As I hobble home, I think about those elite guys. Who were they? Why did they come so late? Why was there static when we tried to call Grizzo? So many questions. So little answers. These questions are running around in my head. I try not to think about them, but then I start thinking about my dead crew. Jeez. Darya was a decent Inkling who just needed money for her family. Ted's just a kid. And Arno. Arno man. Seeing a man walk around with his brain hanging out is a first. At least he can finally see his kid again. The guilt starts piling up again, but do what I always do. Shake my head and push these thoughts down. They're dead. No feeling use guilty. Just like the rest. Dead's dead. Feeling sorry won't help.

When I open the door to my apartment, I smell something burning. I shamble inside to see Cora cooking something.

"Uhh. Hey Cayden." she said with a embarrassed smile. She shows me a pan with burnt food. Don't know what was it supposed to be. It was all black and pinkish.

"What's that?" I ask.

"Pancakes." she says."Sorry. It's my first time cooking."

"You call that a pancake?"

I turn on the fan and kiss her cheek.

"Thanks for trying." I said with a chuckle. She pouts a little.

"You jerk. I tried really, really hard."

"Haha. I know. I'm sorry."

"You are NOT forgiven."

"Come on Cora. Don't be like that."

"Hmph!" she does that anime pout thing, where her eyes are closed and sharply turns her head away.

"Aww geez. What's it gonna take?" she opens one eye to look at me.

"Well…" she looks at me and puckers up her lips.

"Your too damn cute." I said kissing her on the lips. She opens her eyes and gives me a bright smile. She looks down to see my leg.

"Omigosh! What happened!?" she says.

"Just a wound. From the job. That's all." I said as I force myself to give her a reassuring smile.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Positive." she looked unconvinced.

"...Alright….I'm going to order some pizza. Is that okay?" she said.

"Sure." I answer. "Also, can add some seaweed to it?"

"Bleh." she said as she gets the home phone. I decide to start cleaning the kitchen. I look at the substance in the pan. I stare at the pink for a minute. Suddenly, I start thinking about Arno's brain. My mind's making connections about that. I stare at the burnt stuff in it. Then I start thinking about anime where characters get vaporized by beams. I then start thinking about Darya and Ted. Seeing them getting vaporized. My chest starts feeling tight. My breathing's reduce to short gasps. My hands shake uncontrollably. I fall down and I'm back on that beach again. I see Darya turning and running. A Saiju shoots its beam at her. I hear her screaming as loud as she possibly could. I look around to see Arno. His brain's exposed.  
"Upsy daisy! Hahaha!" he says raising an invisible baby. I look to my left to see Ted crawling towards me.  
"Help!" he screams. "For the love of the Great Zapfish help me!"

It took me a while to notice that the bottom half of his body is gone. His intestines hung out and spread blood everywhere. I back myself to a wall. I look up at it and I cover my eyes.

"It's not real. It's not real. It's not real! It's not real! IT'S NOT REAL!" I keep screaming to myself. My hands were shaking as I cry.

"Cayden! I can't see! I can't see!" I look through my fingers to see Leo writhing on the ground. His eyes are cut. One of them is staring right at me. I see Sarah. Half her head is still flat. Her body's limbs sprawl over her coffin as it bobs up and down. My chests tightens until it starts hurting. I also see Seymore. His chest gaped open. On my right I see Mack being stabbed by Nadine. Her laughter bursting through the fishy air.

"Caaaaayyyddeeen!" she says. Her neck twists backwards. A twisted smile spread from ear to ear.

"Your fault!" she screams. "It's all your fault Cayden!"

"I have only one eye, because of you!" Leo screams looking at me.  
"I'm s-s-sorry." I said.

"I'm dead cuze of you!" Sarah screams staring at me with her flattened eye.

"So am I! You crap excuse of a leader!" Seymore screams. One eye is rolled back. He gets up for me to see his exposed torso.

"Why are you alive Cayden?" said Sarah. "WHY?! YOU!?"

"I'm so sorry." I sob.  
"Why are you perfectly fine!?" shout Nadine.

"I'm so sorry."

"Why do you get to be happy!?" shouts Leo.

I sob uncontrollably. Apologising. Over and over again. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

"Don't worry Cayden." said Nadine. "I made sure you'll never be happy again."

Nadine holds up Cora's head. Her eyes are lifeless. Blood drips down from her lips.

"No! CORA! CORAAAAA!"

"You hurt everyone you ever care about Cayden." said Leo. "Everyone's either screwed or dead because of you!"

"CORA!" I screech on top of my lungs. I felt a gentle touch on my head and shoulder. I snap back into reality. I'm sitting on my floor with my back on the fridge. Cora is kneeling next to me. Her hand on my head and another on my shoulder. A look of fear and sadness is all across her face.

"Cora." I sob. I then hug her. And she hugs me back.

"Cayden. It's okay. I'm right here." she says stroking my hair. I calm down slowly.

"Cora. I...I need help." I say to her.

"I know. I know." she said.

"Cayden, did... someone die on you again?" she asks hesitantly. I just nod. She embraces me tighter. After a good long five minutes of crying, I finally let her go and she does it too. With a stressed out sigh, she looks at me straight in the eyes.

"Cayden." she said in a serious, but caring tone. "You need to quit this job."

I start thinking about it. Who knows how many times I considered that. But I tell her what I always come to the conclusion to.  
"Cora. I can't. If I do that, I lose the apartment. WE lose the apartment."

"Is this place really worth your sanity and night terrors?"

"Night terrors? I still have them?"

"You have them almost every night. Sometimes I spend hours comforting you."  
"Geez. No wonder you sleep til 12."

"That's not important. What's important is answering the question. Is it worth it Cayden?"

"I….don't know. Where can we go? Where can I work? Turf Wars gives us pocket change compared to a real job. We both aren't good enough to go pro. I doubt any job would take a high school dropout with no work record. Grizzco doesn't acknowledge the existence Off Day Crew. I'm stuck."

"We'll think of something Cayden. But please. You need to quit. Promise me you'll quit."

"...I'll think about it. Okay?" she then gave me a dissatisfied look.

"No. I can't accept that. I need you to promise me." she looks at me with concern. I bite my lower lip. I think about all that death. All that suffering. I think about it'll all be for nothing if I quit now. Then I think about how much will Cora put up with me? This job is the source of all my problems, but it covers everything. I take a deep breath and give her my final answer.

"After one more Salmon Run. After my leg heals. Grizzo put me on paid leave. When I do one more Run, I quit. No acceptions. No questions. No ifs, ands, or buts." Nadine holds her arm. She closes her eyes and deeply sighs.

"Okay. One more time." I smile at her and she smiles back. "Y'think we should start auctioning off some of your stuff? We can't carry all that stuff to a new place."

"Heh heh. Yeah. True. Might as well sell all my weapons first. Maybe some T-shirts and hats." We laugh a little bit. We stop when my doorbell rings.  
"Pizza first. Talk later." Cora says with a grin. I smile back at her. Pizza. The problem solver of all life's problems.


	13. Chapter 13: Last Day in Salmon Hell

I spent a good long month healing. My leg had some problems. Apparently I got gangrene and needed surgery. Grizzco's private doctors said that it's common whenever a Saiju's ray grazes someone. I never knew about it, since I never been grazed by it until now. While healing, Cora and I grew closer. We watched our entire backlog of anime, ate at places me and her haven't been to, searched for jobs, a whole lot of stuff. We go to the Manta Maria a lot. We find an affordable apartment we can live in until I can find a job. We're basically ready to leave anytime. Before I go back to Grizzco tomorrow, we go to the Manta Maria at night. We both have three Triple-Fried Galactic Shwaffles each and four Galactic Seanwiches in to go boxes. Along with some lemon, berry, melon, and apple shakes. We finish almost everything, lie on our blanket, and gaze at the stares.

"Hey Cayden?" she asks as we stare at the starry sky as she finishes her Seanwich.

"Yeah?" I ask slurping down my melon shake.

"Why do you come here a lot?" she says. "Not that I'm complaining! It's really romantic."

I look at her. She's blushing as she sips her apple shake and look at the sky.

"Well. I always dreamed of commanding a boat like this." I said to her.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I always wanted to join the Navy. After high school, I would join them, work my way up to captain, command a boat, lead my crew, sail the seas. But that would mean leaving my friends for long periods of time a bunch of times and I just can't go through with the idea. The depression prevented me from joining, but with you on my side, I think about it now and then."

"Huh." she says as she loudly sucks her apple shake dry. "Do you still want to join them Cayden?"

"And leave you all alone? So some stud could steal a cute and beautiful Octoling like you? Never." she giggles as she smooches me on the cheek. We make out for a bit, then we get a bit out of hand. We lie naked under the stars. I hold her close. I love her so damn much. Everyday with her feels like a blessing.

But the fun times have come to an end. I'm back to 100%. Today's the day that Grizzco stops paying me money to heal up. I begrudgingly put on my Salmon Run uniform. Funny, I used to just put it on without a second thought. A month ago, I would treat this thing like a second skin. Now it's a reminder of terrible things that did and is going to happen. Cora is able to sell all my stuff and bring only what we can carry. The bed's gone, table's gone, half of my clothes are gone, weapons gone, and games plus consoles are gone. Everything that was gone, Cora was able to sell online. Everything that we didn't sell is in a trash bag. Man, having only a trash bag full of stuff and a backpack to take with me when I move reminds me of foster care. Well, I can deal with that later. I look at myself in the mirror and take a deep breath. I walk out my room. The first thing I see is Cora. She cross her arms as she's gives me with a sad look.

"Remember. You promised." she said.

"I know Cora. I will. There was no turning back the moment we sold my bed" I say to her. We both laugh a little. I give her a long kiss goodbye. We stare into each other's eyes.

"Come back soon." she said.

"I will. Love you." I say. I open the door, look at Cora one more time, and go to work.

Everything's the same as usual. I got a team of four (including myself) Salmon Runners. Two girls. One guy. I didn't bother learning their names. I'm not going to get attached. I keep telling myself over and over that after this Run, I'm done with the Off Day Crew.  
We arrive at our destination. For some reason, it ain't the empty island. This island had human ruins on it. The entire area has broken tiles of what I think is marble. In the middle is a rusty building that's half sunken into the ground.

"What is this place Grizzo?" I ask.

"A new hotspot for Salmonids and Saiju. Now, get ta workin!" he says.

"Whatever." I say as I check my Grizzco Blaster. Everything's alright. I decide to at least learn the names of my crew. The guy's name is Tom. The girl's names are Rem and Harriet. All of them are fairly average looking. We begin waiting for the Salmonids to come on the beach. Nothing happens. We literally wait for hours.

"What's taking so long!? " shouts Tom.

"Wish I had my phone." said Rem.

"My phone died." said Harriet.

"You brought your phone to a Run?" I said. "It's really easy to break while Salmon Running."

"Well, my parents are rich. Sooooo." and then he does a raspberry. I shake my head. I examine these guys. They don't look...hardened enough.

"Hey. You three. How many Saijus have you guys fought?" all three look at eachother perplexingly.

"I've killed, like, two. Kind of." said Tom.

"I... never actually did. I just shoot it from far away and let my teammates do all the work." said Rem.

"The Hell's a Saiju?" said Harriet. What the Hell is this? Why am I teamed up with a bunch of rookies? Especially one who isn't aware of the existence of Saijus. Usually I would get at least one experienced Salmon Runner who has taken on Saijus multiple times.

"Hey Grizzo!" I shout turning on my earpiece. "What gives?!"

Static. Not good. I knew better than to keep trying to contact Grizzo.

"Get ready!" I shout at my crew. They scramble to get their shit ready.

"For what?" complained Harriet.

"Saiju. Multiple Saiju incoming get ready to fight for your life." Harriet just gets more confused. In seconds, I feel a rumble in the ground. I turn around to see the building behind us falling apart. Piece by piece, metal and glass break apart. We all stare at the building and see something big emerging.

"It's a Saiju! Get ready!" I shout. In the rubble of the building, a hand bursts out. My crew begins shaking in fear.  
"Don't be scared!" I shout. "If you get scared, you die!"

We all see a head pop out. But somethings up. The Saiju's neck is longer than normal. Its body more slender too. It crawls out of the ruins to show that it has a body of a eel. My jaw drops from the sight of it. This is no ordinary Saiju. The thing is at least forty feet in length. Its body's width and head is at least the size of two of Sean's food truck. Its eyes are as big as my head and they look like their bulging out. Its jaw is like a crocodile. Its fin stretches down all the way from its head and its tail fin. Its arms are thin and long. It's lack of scales makes it look pale, but still unsettling to look at. Its overall appearance looks like a mudfish and a eel had a baby, and then that baby grew up and married a Salmonid and gave birth to this thing.

This Saiju wiggles its way towards us. Screaming on top of its lungs. The screams remind me of a metal scratches and a shriek of a man. I see the same hatred in its eyes as the Saijus that I fought.

"Move!" I shout as we all split apart. I fire my Grizzco Blaster at its body. My ink colors its body, but doesn't really fazes it. I ink my way down its body, until it smacks me with its tail. I fly about forty feet away and I splat. My life ring floats out of my ink and I crawl my squid body out. I see the Saiju snapping at Tom as he runs for his life. I see that Rem girl running away from the Saiju.

"What's her name? Rem! REM! Help me! Shoot me and change me back!" I shout. I see fear in the girls eyes. She wasn't even paying attention.

"REM!" I shout louder. She looks at me, shaking like she at a crap ton of sugar, only not happy.

"Hurry! Shoot! I can take this Saiju on and get us out of here! Just shoot me!" I yell. She points her scope at me. Her hands shook too much and she missed. I didn't yell at her for missing, because that'll just makes things worse. She makes a second shot and hits me. My body changes back to normal. I was about to thank her, until we see the Saiju squirming its way towards us. I jump out the way and so did Rem. I quickly take my weapon and ink its body. No reaction still. Then I have this crazy idea. I go into squid form and jump into my ink on the Saiju's body. I couldn't believe that worked. I get to the top of its back and stab its back. Unlike the usual Saiju's tough flesh, this Saiju's flesh is soft. Like stabbing into tofu. The thing's quite slippery and I end up sliding down its body. The knife slices the way down with me and I had another idea. I run down, with the knife until in the Saiju, and slice open its body like a sushi chef. I hear the Saiju scream on top of its lungs(?). I keep running down its body until I run past its tail. Blood and guts pours out of the wound. The Saiju wiggles until it slows down and eventually stops moving. The overwhelming stench of fish and blood almost made me puke. It did for the rookies, when we gather together.

"Geez! Ugh!" screams Harriet as she forces herself to throw up. "WTF is THAT!"

"That's a Saiju. I think." said Rem as she covers her face.

"Have you ever fought that Saiju before?" Tom asks me.

"No." I answer. "This is completely new."

"Well that was easy for you." said Rem.

"Yeah. It was easy. A little too easy." I say. A Saiju isn't easy to take on. Especially with only a knife. Maybe this thing's a baby. Maybe this is a baby Saiju. It's flesh is too soft and it seems weak. As I was thinking that, it starts to twitch.

"Oh god it's not dead!" yells Harriet.  
"Wait what!?" said Tom. Its organs look like they're coming to life.

"Holy crap!" said Rem as she panics. The organs start jumping up and down. I get my weapon ready. I look at it until I see a glowing yellow eye inside the organs.  
"What the Hell?" I said with my eyes widening. More glowing yellow eyes open up. Without warning, the eyes jump out. Revealing mini versions of this Saiju. Only, all of them are pale yellow and scaleless. They were between the size of Smallfrys and Chums. Their eyes are pinkish red and they begin squiggling towards us.

"Screw this!" shrieks Harriot. Harriot runs for her life as the mini Saiju attack Rem. We fire on them, but they move so fast. The squiggle their way towards Rem as she screams. Firing panic shots and not escaping. Before we know it, they overwhelm Rem as she is wrapped up in these mini Saijus.

She shrieks on top of her lungs as they begin biting her. An ocean of these engulf Rem as she tries to get up. Me and Tom refill our tanks and threw Splat Bombs at Rem in an attempt to save her. The things pop like they were Chum, but we were too late. The mini Saiju clear out enough for us to see Rem. Parts of her arms have missing chunks missing. Her eye has been gouged out. We see a mini Saiju swimming and eating inside her guts. The worst part is that she's still twitching. We clear out the rest of the mini Saiju. They were fairly easy to kill if you had a Grizzco Blaster like me and Ted. When we finished, Ted sat down in horror. I walk over to Rem. To my shock, she looks at me. I extend my hand and she holds onto it tightly. She begins crying. She looks at me straight in the eyes.

"K-kill m-me." she says as she gurgles out blood. She's crying. The look in her eyes almost screams at me for help. I can't even imagine how much pain she's in. I have her sit up and use my knee for leverage. Solemnly I take out my knife.

"Close your eyes." I whisper. She does. "Think about something that makes you happy. No matter what happens, keep thinking about it."

She nods her head as she whimpers in pain and despair. I take my knife and slowly embed it into the back of her head. Rem winces at first, but her pained expression fades away and begins to look like she's sleeping peacefully. I take a deep breath and lie Rem down gently. Never thought I ever had to do that again. But this will be the last time. I walk over to Ted, who's in the fetal position. At least he's not rocking back and forth while doing it.

"First time seeing someone die?" I ask. Ted didn't respond. I decide leaving him alone is the best choice. "I'm going to search for Harriot." I said to him. Before I go, I give him this warning.

"You'll face a lot more of this Hell if you keep doing this job. I highly suggest you quit. This job ain't worth your sanity." I then leave him alone and hope he takes my advice as I search for our deserter.


	14. Chapter 14: Almost Done

I look around to find Harriet. This island isn't big, so it didn't take too long for me to find her. I find her trying to plug a phone charger in a socket on the side of the human building. She plugs her phone and waits for it to charge.

"Come on. Come on!" she growls. The phone's charging icon doesn't shows up.

"Shit!" she says while throwing her phone on the ground.

"Why did you leave?" I said. She jumps from my sudden approach. She only gives me this look of annoyance rather than shame.

"Hey! I only got this job, because I shoplifted a few phone cases! That Saiju thing actually cut my thigh!" She shows me her wound. It looks like a paper cut. Nothing serious at all. She's nothing, but a spoiled and sheltered brat.

"That's not a big deal." I say to her. "I've had my limbs severed off by those things."

"Good thing I bailed!"

"Rem is dead, because you bailed."

"Not my fault!" she spat. Anger explodes inside me as I punch her in the face. She starts screaming and swearing at me.

"It is your fault! If we had one more crew member shooting those things, Rem would still be alive!"

The ground starts rumbling. I take Harriet's hand, despite her protests. The building begins to shake. I can hear the metal bend as the building begins to fall over.

"I'm gonna sue your ass! My daddy's rich! We'll freaking sue you until you got nothing!" she shouts while holding her bleeding nose.

"You can sue me if we live through this!" I shout. Life really loves making me wrong. Another of these eel Saiju pops out of the building. The thing moved too fast that it bit Harriet whole. Only leaving me with her arm. I can hear the Saiju chewing on Harriet as she screams. Its chewing sounds a fat guy's heavy gasping and the sound of chewing mac and cheese with your mouth open. After a few chews, Harriet stops screaming. I drop Harriet's arm and run like Hell. The Saiju looks at me with its mouth open. A chunk of hair is stuck between its teeth. Fear starts to creeping up on me again. I dodge to the left and the Saiju misses me by the skin of my teeth. I take out my knife and stab the monster. I did the same thing I did on the previous Saiju. I run down its body and slice it open like a sushi chef. I use a super to attach the Splat Bombs on me and throw them near its wound. The mini Saiju pop out of its parent's gut, only to be greeted by my bomb. It blows up and the mini Saijus go splat. I run around the building to see three more of these Saiju come after Ted. He's swimming and running for his life. I ink my path and swim towards him as fast as I could. I can hear Ted screaming as the Saijus try to eat him. I came up to one of them and stab one in the eye. Eye goo squirt out all over me as the Saiju sharply turns its head and bites at me. I dodge to the other side and stab it in the other eye. I look to Ted and shout.

"Fight back! You wanna see tomorrow!? Then fight for your life!"

This rouses Ted to stop running and pull his knife out. He inks to a Saiju's side and does exactly what I did to the second Saiju. He cuts a long gash, he throws his Splat Bomb near its gut, and the mini Saiju pop out and die by the Splat Bomb. It wasn't as clean as my kills since a few mini Saiju live, but he quickly takes care of them by himself.  
"Nice job kid!" I said with the smile as I finish killing my Saiju. We team up as the third comes slithering towards us. We dodge away from each other as the thing comes right at us. We slice open its sides and throw our Splat Bombs near its wound. Mini Saijus pour of them and they all die. That was easy as Hell. I walk around and find Ted gasping with exhaustion and adrenaline.

"Thought about what you told me." he said still gasping for air.

"And?"

"When we get out of here. I quit. Unless Mr. Grizz gives me a billion bucks per job including this one, I'm quittin'." A smile creeps on my face. The feeling of hope starts to come back. I finally saved one life. At least, I can't say that yet, because there's a rumble on the floor. We look at the human building as more of the eel Saiju pop out of it. We quickly get ready, but we were shocked to see the eel Saiju pop out of the building one by one. We stand our ground as five of these things slither towards us. I ink my way in between two of them and kill one of them with my knife. As I did my maneuver, the Saiju next to me slams its body into me and sandwiched me into the one I was killing. I was only halfway done and I could almost hear the mini Saiju moving around inside the one I stabbed. The Saiju slams its body into me again and I splat. My life ring activates and I'm floating in it in my squid form. I steer my life ring, hoping that the Saiju doesn't smack me again. I make it past the two Saiju and so did Ted. He sees me and shoots at me to return to normal. We see two more of these Saiju coming our way. Mini Saijus born from my attack are slithering towards us. Ted goes right and I follow him. The Saijus follow us. We try to go behind the building until we can find an opening. Just then, another Saiju appears. Not the eel Saiju, the original Saiju that I've always been fighting.

It emerges from the water with the same hatred in its eyes. We come to a screeching halt as we try to run the other way. The OG Saiju's throat gurgles and it fires a beam straight at us. Ted and I decide that we're safer taking cover with the eel Saiju. We swim back towards the eel Saijus. They try to chomp at us, but we successfully dodge them. The OG Saiju's beam slices through the eel Saiju like butter. On the bright side, the eel Saiju corpses hide us pretty well. On the down side, mini Saiju squiggle out of the corpses. On the worse side, the mini Saiju starts following us. I start firing on them as Ted fills his ink tank. Once I'm out of ink, Ted takes charge on pushing the mini Saiju's back. I fill up my tank and take over for Ted.

"We shouldn't stay! We gotta move!" I shout to Ted.

"Way ahead of you." he said as he inks a path for us. I see two eel Saijus running over the mini Saiju to get to us. We swim the Hell out of there. I feel the rumble of the OG Saiju walking towards us. Stupid. That thought distracted me. I see the eel Saiju at squirms to me too late. I see the creature open its car size mouth. I could only think about Cora at that moment. Cora. I'm so sorry.

I feel a hand push me aside. Everything feels like it's moving at slow motion. I looked to my left to see that it was Ted who pushed. The eel Saiju's mouth chomps down on Ted with his arms sticking out at me.

"NOOOOOOOO!" I scream. I pull out my knife and charge at the Saiju that swallowed Ted whole. Just then, another eel Saiju gets me in its mouth.

I hold my breath as I feel its tongue trying to slide me down its throat. It closes its mouth and it became almost pitch black inside. I took my knife and stab its tongue. I can feel its uvula slimily slap my legs as the Saiju tries to crush me with the roof of its mouth. I grab onto its uvula and repeatedly stab the roof of its mouth. The Saiju opens its mouth screaming. My ear ruptures from its high pitch scream, but I grit my teeth as I take a breath. It smells like garbage. Its breath smells like garbage mixed with rotten meat. I take some air, but I unfortunately puke down its throat. I see that I'm right next to its gills. I hold my breath and take my chance by jumping towards its gills. I stab my knife into and begin cutting through it. The Saiju thrashes around, but I hold onto its gills tightly. It closes its mouth, but it only helps me see that I made a hole big enough for light to shine through. I cut its gills until I made a hole big enough for me to squeeze on through. I shove my face outside to see the OG Saiju crushing the eel Saijus. Stepping on them, grabbing their heads, and tearing them off. It looks inside the decapitated head and body. Almost as if it's looking for something. One eel Saiju slithers up the OG Saiju's body and bites it in the neck. The OG Saiju's eyes turn red as it grabs the eel and throws it against the ground. Others begins showing up and attack the OG Saiju, but it gurgles its throat and shoots its beam at them all. Eventually, it gets overwhelmed and falls on its stomach. An eel Saiju bites at the OG's head and crunches it open. The OG shoots its beam at the sky in a vain attempt to fight back. I fought my way to the eel Saiju that I think ate Ted. A crap ton of Saiju at me with the fury of a small pool full of tadpoles. I go into my squid form and jump into a spot of ink that had our color on it. The eel Saiju that (I think) ate Ted looked injured. I took this opportunity to jump and drive my knife into its gills. It then thrashes around and I fly off. I fall hard on the ground, but I force myself up. Then exhaustion hit me like a brick as my body collapses and refuses to listen to me. I couldn't move. I was too tired. Even the adrenaline in my body stopped. I wanted to move so badly. All I can move is my head. I see a bunch of eel Saiju squiggling after me. I keep swearing over and over again. The end has finally come.

Just as I thought that, ride rails surround the island. The three black Salmon Runners grind on them and shoot spears out of their spearguns. Each one hitting a Saiju in the head. They all jump off like acrobats and shoot their weird and powerful weapons at the mini Saiju bursting out. They all ignore me as my clean up these eel Saiju like it's nothing. As hard as it is, I get up. I look at the Saiju that might have Ted. I hobble on over to it. The Saiju is dead and had its mini Saiju obliterated. I shambled towards its busted open stomach. I crawl in there with my knife and start cutting my way past its organs. I pull out its big, but short intestines and start cutting my way through it.

"What am I doing?" I think to myself. "He's dead."

The irrational part of my brain refuse to think that. I want to hold on hope. I want to save someone. I slice open the intestines. Nothing. I move onto the next Saiju. Did the same. Nothing. I did it over and over again. Until I finally found Ted. His face had the look of terror in his eyes. I put him on the ground as I start doing CPR. I blow into his mouth and repeatedly press his chest.

"C'mon Ted." I said doing chest compressions over and over again. "C'MON! YOU WERE GONNA QUIT RIGHT!?"

I blow and press his chest.  
"PLEASE! DAMN IT!" I start crying. He wasn't waking up. I do it over and over again.

"Live! LIVE!" I begin hating myself again. Damn it. Damn it all. After what seems like hours, I see the black Salmon Runners surrounding me. I didn't pay attention to them. I keep doing CPR. Nothing's happening.

"Damn it. Not again." I whimper. I finally stop doing it. I try to hold it all in as I close his eyes. I slam my fist on the hard floor.

"DAAAAMN IIIIIIIT!" I scream. Tears flow down my face. He was going to quit. He was going to go home, play Turf Wars, go to Splatfests, and live his life normally and happily. "WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME!?"

Over and over, I slam my fist on the ground as the spectators stare at this stupid, pathetic site.

"You son of a bitches!" I yell as get up and swing at one of them. He dodges as he grabs me by the neck and choke slams me onto the ground. I kick him in the leg and sock him in the head. As I get back up, I kick him on the side of the head while he's down. I then run to another one and tackle him down.

"Why! Why can't you all save me when everyone's alive!" I repeatedly punch his black leathered ass in the head.

"Is this a freakin' game!? A joke!? To save only me at the last second!? To let me live with all the guilt and trauma!? To make me suffer!? To always be the last survivor!?" I scream. The Salmon Runner I didn't hit grabs me by the color and pulls me off. I get up and tackle him down too.

"Why do I always have to be the last one alive! Tell me! TELL MEEEE!" I shriek as I uppercut his damn gasmask off. I then get a good look at the Runner's face. My eyes widen. All the tears and rage came to a screeching halt. I then take off the hood to see the hair. I back away from the Runner. I can't believe it. I can't believe what I'm seeing. I couldn't help but to say in complete disbelief,

"Sarah?"


	15. Chapter 15: Seen Too Much

I've gone crazy. I've finally snapped. Sarah. Freakin' Sarah. Standing before me. Alive. This girl doesn't just look like her, she has the same eye color and hair style. This can't be real. Sarah is dead. I saw her die. Her body was pushed into the sea. Her head's been smashed. But her head is perfectly fine.

"Sarah? I-is that you?" I ask. She doesn't answer. I get back up.

"Why won't you answer me?!" I said as I shake her. She just stares at me blankly.

"Sarah! Please! Just say something! Anything!" I said. She stares, but gives me a smile. A creepy, empty smile. Something's wrong. Something is horribly wrong.

"Whoever you are, and if you're not Sarah, just say you're not Sarah! At least say that! Please!" I shout. The girl does nothing. Her wide open, unblinking eyes gazing into mine. I begin to get scared. I need to make sure it's Sarah, even though part of me doesn't believe it. I'm going to check the back of her ear. Sarah has a weird birthmark that looks like a jellyfish. I carefully tilt her head. It's there. It's right there. The birthmark. IT IS FREAKING SARAH! The other Salmon Runners creep closer to me.

"Stay away!" I yell as I shove them away from me. I turn around to see Sarah an inch away from me. I back away in fear. This can't be Sarah. She just can't be.

"Hey kid. Are ya alright?" I hear Grizzo on my earpiece. I was about to instinctively press it, until I stop myself. Every part of my brain wants me to demand answers from Grizzo. Every part of me wants to demand how Sarah's alive. I know better. He won't give me any answers or just pretend to not have any.

"Kid? Answer me!" Grizzo shouts. I stare at Sarah. The rest of the Runners stare at me too. Then I remember Cora. I look at all of this and look back at Sarah. No. I don't want to know. Whatever this is, I'm done and out. I press my earpiece and said,

"I quit." A long uncomfortable silence passes by. The Runners plus Sarah continue to creepily stare at me. Good or bad, I was relieved when Grizzo finally broke the silence.

"Ya don't want that kid. Trust me." he said.

"I don't care Grizzo. I'm done. Take me home Grizzo."

"You'll lose your apartment. You'll lose a chance to make a difference. You'll lose a lot, kid. Trust me. Ya don't want to do this."

"I don't care. Take me home."

"Kid. Think about what yer doing. What about the world? The Saijus? All that work. All those sacrifices. It'll all be for nothing."

"I don't care. I'm done. Now take me home."  
"...Kid. What did'ya see?"

"TAKE. ME. HOME."

"Kid. I'm serious. What did you se-"

"JUST TAKE ME HOME GRIZZO!" I shriek on top of my lungs. "I'm at the end of my rope! I-I-I can't take it anymore! JUST TAKE ME HOME!"

Then the silence came back. Just me, the two Runners, and Sarah. I just wanted to go home. I want to see Cora again. I want to get out of here. I keep my distance away from these people. A creeping fear crawls up my spine. I feel like they're going to kill me at any moment. I don't know why I feel this way, but I feel like they'll kill me if I take my eyes off them. But the more I look at them, the more I feel scared. After what seems like hours, Grizzo's boat finally comes. I squid jump without a moment's notice and leave them behind. The boat drives away from that island.

When I get back on land, I run to the locker room, get changed, and run for my life. I need to get away from Grizzco. Away from Salmon Run. Away from all of this. I look around to see if anyone in a suit is standing around. I see a few. They're probably here to kill me or force me back to that salmon Hell. I run all the way to the train as fast as I could. I don't bother sitting down. I put myself close to the door, so I can dash out when I reach my stop. I couldn't help, but think how much deep shit I'm in and why Sarah's alive. What if Sarah never died? No that's not possible. I was there when she was taken off life support. Me, Nadine, and Leo saw it. We all saw her die. What if that wasn't Sarah? No. That's not possible. That makes no sense. What if they cloned Sarah? I heard conspiracy nutjobs talk about how cloning technology was excavated from human ruins. Maybe she's a clone? No, that's ridiculous. Or is it? Grizzco is heavily connected to the government. Maybe it's true? Maybe Sarah is a clone. No. No. No. Why would the government clone Sarah? That makes no sense. I need to calm the Hell down. I'm just making up conspiracy theories. But how can I not? Sarah is alive! She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. She's alive. SHE'S ALIVE. SHE'S ALIVE. SHE'S ALIVE! I start giggling to myself. She's alive! SARAH IS ALIVE! Leo's okay is still my bro! Nadine and I are still together! CORA'S FICTION! Yes! That's gotta be it! Everything is fine! We're finally back together again! FOreVeR aND evEr!

Everyone in the train starts staring at me in concern and discomfort. Oh crap. I've gone nuts. I've really gone nuts. All those deaths finally made me crack. Maybe Ted's death finally pushed me off the deep end. If I have gone crazy, then I need to get home and get back to Cora. Just need to think about Cora. Just Cora. Just Cora.

I couldn't get back fast enough. I keep seeing moving shadows. Real shadows of people moving away as I run by. Are they people or just buildings? Are they just civilians or are they finally here to get me? I don't know anymore. I feel like they'll close in on me any second now. I finally make it to my apartment and swing the door open.

"Cora!?" I yell. I hear pots and pans fall on the floor. Cora runs to the door. Seeing her made me fall on my knees and sob out of nowhere. Cora runs to me and holds me tightly.  
"Cora. I've gone crazy." I said to her. Covering my face as I sob uncontrollably.

"You're not crazy Cayden." she said stroking my hair.

"Yes I am! I don't even know what's real anymore! Am I crazy!? Did anyone really die!? Are Saijus even real!? Am I still in the mental hospital!? Are you real!? Am I really even here!?" In my complete mental break down, Cora kisses me. For a moment, I stop crying.

"Was that fake Cayden?" she asks.

"N-no?" I say hesitantly.

"Is what we have not real Cayden?"  
"..."

"Cayden. I love you. Even if you believe this all isn't real, believe that my love is real."

"Cora." I hold her. I feel her warmth. I smell her scent. I know her love. She's real.

"Cayden. Tell me what happened." she said in a gentle, but serious tone. "I've never seen you this bad before. Something must've happened."

I didn't answer her.

"Cayden please! Did you at least quit!"

I nodded my head. She sighs in frustration more than relief. She closes the door.

"Lock it. Quickly." I ask her. She does so as I put my back on the wall. She turns around and squats in front of me.

"Cayden. If you quit, then what happened?"

I calm down a bit and tell her everything about the new Saiju I encountered, how I put Rem out of her misery, how I convinced Ted to quit the job and his sacrifice, the black Salmon Runners. However, I hid the part about Sarah being one of them. Cora looked satisfied at first, but it went away when she looks at me straight in the eyes.

"There's something else Cayden." She caught on quick. Cora has a worried and serious look on her face. She holds my hand.

"I know you're hiding something else. And I'm betting that's what's bugging you. Please Cayden. You can tell me anything."

"You won't believe me if I tell you."

"Try me."

"Alright." I take a deep breath. "The black Salmon Runners. I punch one of their masks off. And I saw her face. It was Sarah."

Cora's about to say something, but stays silent.

"Told you wouldn't believe me."

"Cayden, it's not like I don't believe you, but this is a little..."

"I know. But it's her. She's alive, but it's impossible."

"Cayden. It can't be Sarah. You said she died." I rub my face and take a deep breath. I look at Cora to see concern spread across her face.

"Y'know what. I'm going to say it's not her, because it doesn't matter now. We're getting the heck outta here."

"But what about this Sarah stuff?"

"Forget it. We have to leave A.S.A.P. I wasted too much time being freaked out."

"Wait. What's the hurry?"

"I've noticed some of the guys in suits are following me. I don't know what they'll do to me, but I know it ain't good. Get the bags. Let's go."

Without anymore questions, Cora does so. There are three trash bags and two backpacks. I take two trash bags and Cora takes the third. They were light, so they aren't a burden. We put on the backpacks and I run out first. Suddenly, I bump into something hard. I back off to see a huge crab wearing a black suit, standing in front of my doorway. They're here. Wasting no time, I slam the door.

"Cora! The emergency exit!" I said as I double lock and deadbolt the door. I feel the locks being unlocked from the other side. I stay by the door as I lock the locks. Cora runs to the window and starts crawling out. She pokes her head in.

"Cayden hurry!" she shouts. She switches to her octo form and slips through the emergency exit floor.

"On it!" I yell as I run towards the window. The locks get unlocked and the crab barges in. Ripping the deadbolt off the door. I jump out the window in my squid form and go through the metal floor. I plop straight onto the ground. Damn that hurt. Glad we don't have bones or exoskeletons. I shake off the pain and help Cora up. We run down Pelican Rd and down towards Sponge Ave. We turn around to see three inklings in suits with Splatterscopes pursuing us. They line up, single file, and start shooting towards us. They dive into their ink and pop up whenever they need to ink more road.

"Really wish we didn't sell my weapons!" I tell Cora. Cora grabs my hand and we turn into an alley. We run down it to see a guy and woman Inkling in suits blocking the way. They take their Splatterscopes and aim it at us. Cora quickly takes a trash lid and blocks the shots with it. She opens us the trash bag to pull out two kitchen knives. She throws them both, almost like a professional. A knife sinks into the shoulder of one suit and another into the other suit's thigh. They both drop their weapons as we rush em. I outrun Cora and smash the girl in the head with the heaviest trash bag. All contents fly out when the trash bag broke. I see my toaster, waffle iron, and other electronics smash onto the ground and break. I then kick the knife the girl had in her thigh. Cora tosses her trash bag between them and flips like an acrobat. She does a handstand, wraps the guy's head with her legs, flips him, and slams his head onto the ground. I stared at her all amazed.  
"Former agent remember?" she says giving me a smile. She grabs her bag and ditch the stuff that fell out. Luck seems to be on our side as it starts raining. The rain makes it difficult to ink a path. It'll keep those suits from catching up to us. After what seems like hours, we hid and ran all over the area drenched in rain water. We were getting more and more exhausted as time passes.

"We can't keep running like this!" said Cora. She's right. We need to find a place to hide until the suits leave the area. A building is too obvious. We decide to go to the We run into the park since it has a forest for us to hide in. We run towards the park, only to see three guys standing in front of us staring. We didn't even see them. Lightning flashes revealing Sarah and the black Salmon Runners.

"Leave me alone!" I shout at them. I look at the one that looks like Sarah. "You're not Sarah! She's dead!"

The Runners only stare at me as they come closer. Revealing their faces in the light. Cora holds my arm as she looks in the trash bag for a weapon. Sarah stares at me blankly with an empty smile. The other two Salmon Runners take their masks off. Damn it all. Life hates me so damn much. I drop to my knees and drop my stuff in disbelief.

"No. Why? Why are you all here?" I said. My eyes tear up upon seeing them.

"Leo. Nadine. Why?" They didn't answer. Cora looks back at me and them. Completely unsure what to do. They all give me silent stares and empty smiles. Leo, my bro. Nadine, my old girlfriend. Why are they here? Why are they with Sarah?

"Cayden! Let's go!" she shouts as she pulls my arm. They come closer, but Nadine stands between me and them.

"Get away from him!" she shouts. "Hasn't he suffered enough!?"

Nadine attacks first punching Cora. Cora dodges and elbows Nadine in the nose. Sarah and Leo team up to choke slam her onto the ground. Before they could, she kicks their knees, does a handstand and helicopter kicks them both. They all get up with ease. I snap out of it and grab Nadine by the hand and try to run. Sarah grabs me by the leg. I trip and fall Nadine tries to get me up. And from the darkness, two big guys in suits grab Cora. I try to warn her, but Leo jumps on me. He grabs my arms and pin them on my back. I look up to see Cora being lifted on the ground by one guy and the other pressing a cloth against her face.

"Get away from her!" I scream. I see Cora struggling less and less as her eyes get sleepy.

"No Cora! CORAAAA!" I scream as Cora closes her eyes and go limp. I try to force myself up, but Leo and Sarah pinned me down good. Nadine walks in front of me with a cloth in her hand. She then squats down with an empty smile on her face.

"Nadine! Leo! Sarah! Stop it! Please! You gotta-" Nadine presses the cloth against my face. I hold my breath, but the sweet smell made me drowsy regardless. I couldn't hold my breath and I breath in. I look at Cora as the suits bring out two glass containers with weird colored water in them. Cora. I'm sorry.


	16. Chapter 16: Ocean Depths of Despair

I find myself in complete darkness. It's so damn dark I can't even see my hand. My head hurts and my body's all stiff. I struggle to get up.

"Hello!?" I yell. "Anyone in here!?"

No response. I don't even hear an echo. I rub my face as I try to remember what happened. I remember Sarah, Leo, Nadine, the suits, and…..oh crap Cora! I jump up on my feet. I need to find Cora and run to who knows where. I walk through the darkness while sticking my hand out. Hoping to touch something. Eventually I do. I touch a smooth, almost plastic like wall. I press against the wall. Nothing. I decide to move left and eventually hit a corner. I make a mental map on where I'm going and keep moving.

Crap. I can't find a door or anything that could be one. I'm trapped in darkness. All I could think about is where could Cora be. Is she okay? Is she in a different room? How are we going to get the heck outta here? I feel the anxiety coming in. I don't know what's going on anymore. I knew the suits would get me the second I quit. They're just government stooges who are just helping Grizco. I always known. Sarah. Leo. Nadine. How are they all here? Why are they here? I never told Cora this, but once every year I check on Nadine out of whatever little concern I had for her. Doctors told me the same thing. She's the same as always. Crazy. Homicidal. Proclaiming her love for me out a window. I checked a few days before I did my final job. How is she here and calm?

And Leo. I haven't seen my bro for so long. I should be happy, but I'm horrified. Why is he working for the Off Day Crew? Maybe it has something to do with Sarah. Sarah was the whole reason why he refused the job offer. I ponder this only to come up with more questions.

After what seems like an hour, a door opens. A blinding light shines into my eyes as I shield them. I let my eyes get used to it and look. It is a plain white hallway. The walls look like plastic. All of it is pure white. I walk out the room I'm in and see the door at the end open up. I walk into a room with a giant freaking T.V with a long desk under it. The T.V is half as big as the T.V Pearl and Marina do their live shows. The T.V turns on showing a blurry image. I begin hearing white noise. The image clears and the noise fade into words.  
"-here-th-am I!? Grizzo! Where's Sarah!?" I recognize that voice. Leo. The screen clears up showing Leo his regular clothing in an empty room. I feel a bit emotional seeing him as normal. I quickly try to use the keyboard, but it doesn't respond.  
"I know what I saw! I know she's here! I saw you sons of bitches take her corpse and sunk her funeral boat! YOU DECREPIT FUCKERS! GIVE HER BACK! GIVE HER BACK OR I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!" Leo screams with rage. The video shows a door opening for him. Revealing one of the black Salmon Runners.

"Fine! I'll just kick his butt!" said Leo as he attacks the Salmon Runner. The Runner seems sluggish compared to the ones I fought. Leo tackles him down with ease and viciously beats the crap out of him. Leo tears off the gasmask revealing Sarah. She stands up as Leo backs away in the same shock I went through.

"Sarah?" he says as tears flow down his one eye. "I gotta be dreamin' again."

Leo did the same things I did. Examine at her, check her birthmark. Everything.

"It's you. It's really you! Sarah!" he cries as he hugs her tightly. "It's not a dream! You're real! I missed you so much!"

He then kisses her passionately, but she just stands motionless. Not moving at all. He notices and stops.  
"Sarah? What's wrong baby?" No response. Without looking she takes his hand and leads Leo out the room. The screen then shuts off. The screen then shows me Nadine in a straightjacket on the screen staring at the wall. She scares me as she quickly turns her head at the screen and power walks towards it.

"Caaaaaaaayydeeeen." she says. I shake in fear as I fall on my butt. "You're looking at me aren'tcha?"

Her smile spreads across her face. She playfully licks the camera.

"I can taste you through the screen Cayden." That sent shivers down my spine. Wait. Is this live footage or is it a recording? I keep watching. In the screen, the doors open showing Leo and Nadine without their gasmasks. Nadine looks at them and her crazy smile fades. She drops to the ground and sobs. She then raises her head and begins laughing psychotically.

"HhahahHAHhAHAH! Big bro Leo! Sarah! You're both alive! I'm sO HaPpY! wE CAn bE tOGEtHer aGaIN! I cAn haVE yOu INSIdE mE!" Nadine springs herself onto her feet and runs at them laughing. Leo and Sarah take a battle stance at the same time and same speed. They both slide and try to kick her feet, but she jumps and stomps on both of them. She leans down and bites Leo's head. She then begins trying to pull off his flesh as his skin stretches. Leo doesn't cry in pain, but Sarah grabs Nadine by the leg and flips her onto her stomach. Sarah then puts her knee on Nadine's back. Pinning her down completely

"HHEheHEHEHEHEHEHEEHEHEHE! LeeEEeEoOOoOO! SaaAAAaaRRRraaaaahh! I nEEd yoUr LoVEs inSIDE MEEEEE!" Nadine screams while she's able to force herself up, despite Sarah still on her. Leo gets up to assist on pinning Nadine down. Nadine continued to laugh and cry out Leo and Sarah's names until the screen shuts off.

"I don't get it." I said to myself. "Why are they all here? Why am I here? WHAT IS GOING ON!?"

Just as I as, the doors of this room open. Sarah and Leo walk out from the left. Nadine on my right. My my stomach and chest tightens. They all have this uncomfortable blank smile. They did something to them. I know it. It has to be some sort of brainwashing or mind control.

"Guys. I don't know what they did to you, but I'm going to undo it." They said nothing. Leo tosses me a ink tank and a weapon. It's a Sploosh-o-matic. My favorite weapon. I get ready as Leo arms himself with a Luna Blaster, Sarah with an Inkbrush, and Nadine with a Splatterscope.  
"Whatever game you're playing Grizzo! I ain't playing!" I shout in the air. My friends point their weapons at me. Crap.

Sarah runs at me with the Inkbrush on the ground. Nadine charges her Splatterscope as Leo inks around the area. I yell in frustration as I spin around and fire around me. I jump in my ink as a squid while Sarah stops and swings her Inkbrush around. Her ink flies at me, but I move out of the way. I jump out at her and unload my weapon. Sarah barely reacts as she splats. We aren't playing by Turf War rules, so I grab her Inkbrush. Hook up Sarah fires her Splatterscope and it grazes me. I keep my distance from Leo and go for Nadine. She rapid fires at me as I move towards her. She hit me a few times, but I got close to her and fire at point black range. I ran out of ink so I drop my Sploosh-o-matic and jab Nadine's face with the other end of the Inkbrush. Nadine barely reacts as she tries to grab me by the neck. I kick her in the leg as I turn into a squid and dive back into my ink. I fill up my tank enough to swing the Inkbrush and splat Nadine. I grab her Splatterscope as I use the Inkbrush to get close to Leo, who is closing in. His Luna Blaster is a pain in the neck, but I dodge easily. I got close enough to use the Splatterscope and charge it. I take two direct shots from Leo's Luna Blaster, but I stand my ground and splat him with the Splatterscope. That's it. I beat them. I took a deep breath. I rest the floor, but I keep my guard up. Their bodies disappeared, so there must me a spawn point near by. The screen turns on showing a jellyfish clapping its tentacles. He wore a suit with a bow tie and a small fedora on its head.

"Excellent Cayden, my boy. You were spectacular." he said with a foreign accent. I can tell he was smiling despite not really having a mouth.

"Who the Hell are you?!" I shout as I get up. The jellyfish takes his hat off.

"Ah. Forgive me. You have been through much and you must go through much more very soon. I go by many names. You may choose to call me O, Zero, or Blackwater." I cock my brow. I continue to get madder from this guy's casual and overly polite tone in all this.  
"Alright "Blackwater". I don't know what game your playing, but I want answers!"

"Yes. Quite. You do deserve some, I will admit that. What is it do you need to ask old boy?"

"What did you do to my friends!?"

"Very well. We have made them better at Salmon Running. Stronger. Greater. More productive."

"NO! How did you mind control them into your freakin zombies!?"

"Mind control? A crude way for you to put it, but I'm afraid I cannot answer that question just yet. Confidential information and what not." Walk towards the screen and throw the Splattershot at it. Causing the screen to crack.

"Blimey! Such a temper!" he says. I get angrier and angrier.

"Then tell me this! How is Sarah still alive!?"

"Ahh yes. Our first test subject. Sarah Waller. A tragedy that one. One we made untragic. I suppose I can divulge this confidential information for you. You see, we heard about her irreparable injury, so we've taken it upon ourselves to save her. With our technology, we were able to take her body and clone her. But we have experimented with clones in the past. In short, they're only useful in organ transplants. We took the clone's brain and used it to replace all damaged parts of the real Sarah's brain. There was quite a bit of human super technology we reversed engineered to get her heart beating again. You should be thanking us."  
"So you made her your slave as payment?"

"I understand your frustrations Cayden, but you shall receive the answers in due time."

"Screw you! Where's Cora!? I'm taking her outta here and you can't stop us!"  
"...I'm afraid I can't let you do that old bean." Blackwater says as my friends tackle me down by surprise. I try to get my weapon, but they throw them aside.  
"Exactly as planned." said Blackwater.

"Guys! Fight it! You gotta fight it!" I shout. I struggle, but they're too strong. They all stare at me with their blank eyes and empty smiles. I look at the screen.

"You son of a bitch! When I free everyone, I'm gonna find you! And when I'm done, you'll be begging me to kill you!"

"Hmm. Perhaps discipline is an order. Saw off his limbs." Blackwater says as the screen blinks off. I struggle harder as Leo pins my arms as Sarah and Nadine take out saws.

"Sarah! Nadine! STOP IT!" I scream. Both look at me and tilt their heads. It's no use. Nadine and Sarah pin my legs down and begin sawing away. I feel the teeth quickly shred through my legs. I scream on top of my lungs as I try to get up.

"SARAH! NADINE! LEO! STOOOOOOOOOOOP!" I scream. The pain is unbearable. It's even worse than a Saiju. They continue to saw my legs until they came completely off. I stare in horror as they move towards my arms. I fight through the pain as I try pinching Leo's wrist, but there's no reaction.

"NO! NONONONONONONONO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I scream as Nadine and Sarah begin sawing my arms off. I begin crying in every way in fear, pain, and sheer terror. Hearing, seeing, and feeling my arms getting cut off is a terror no one should go through. I want to faint, but I couldn't.

This isn't real. This has to be a horrible nightmare. But the pain, the pain is too damn real. Leo pulls out a syringe and injects me with it. My bleeding stumps drastically slow the bleeding. I look at Leo.

"Leo. Please. Bro. Make it stop." I whimper. He tilts his head. Leo, Nadine, and Sarah pick me up and take me to another room. This other room is much smaller. It has lights hanging from the ceiling with two T.V screens on the walls across each other. In the end of this room is Cora.

She's bound and tied onto a X shaped table that's hanging in the air. Her head has a metal brace attached to the X shaped table to keep her from moving. Metal appendages with emptied syringes hanging from the ceiling and walls move out of sight.

"CORA!" I scream. She jolts awake. She looks at me in horror.  
"CAYDEN!?" she shrieks back. Tears begin flowing down her eyes. "What did they do to you!?"

The screen comes on showing Blackwater.

"Ahh excellent Cayden." he says "You will now see the answer to your first question."

My widen in horror. I struggle, but it's useless. I literally can't do anything, but watch.

Another metal appendage lowers from the ceiling. It looks like a high tech metal sheet with three glowing metal rods sticking out.

"We tried to use it on the Octolings our agents arrested at your apartment. All are dead I'm afraid. But if you're lucky Cayden. She'll live." said Blackwater. Cora whimpers as the appendage places the plate on the back of her head. All I could think about is how useless I am.

"Cora. I'm so sorry. I-I wish we never met." I said. She looks at me with concern.

"I wish I never revealed anything to you. I wish we never got together. If I didn't, you wouldn't be suffering."

"Cayden." she says in the calm and caring tone that I know. "You were the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me."

I begin crying even harder from that.

"If we never met, I would still be eating out of garbage cans or handouts. I wouldn't have had my first kiss, or feel a bed with you by my side, or to love someone at the bottom of my heart. So don't say that Cayden. I regret nothing." I look at her. She gives me a wonderful smile.  
"Cayden." she whispers as a tear flows down her eyes. "I love you."

KERCHINK. The metal rods from the plate shoots down. Cora screams in pain as she struggles violently against her bonds.

"COOORRAAAA!" I scream until my voice hurts. I never cried so hard in my life. "I love you too Cora! I LOVE YOU TOO!"

Blood shoots out her nose as her eyes dart randomly. She begins foaming at the mouth. Cora begins to move less and less. Her movements devolve into twitching. One eyelid is half open and the other is almost closed. Her eyes become empty. I couldn't think anymore. I don't want to think anymore. I can't think anymore.


	17. Chapter 17: Splatisfaction

I wake up drowsy. Can't focus. Can barely think. Can't even feel anything. Not even the ground or my friend's hands. Did I finally lose all of my sanity and go into a schizophrenic coma? I wish. Cora's dead. All my friends are zombie slaves. I have no reason to keep living. I just want to fall asleep and stop thinking. After what seems like hours, I feel some back pain. I just ignore it. It didn't go away. In fact it keeps getting worse. Eventually, I finally snap my eyes open.

I'm in the same place where Cora died. I see myself face down above the floor. My limbs cuffed in leather restraints while suspended in air. I can see that all my clothes are gone. I hear the whirring of machinery all around me. I try to move my head, but it's suspended. The lights turn on. It's so bright I close my eyes. I squint to see the two T.V screen in front of me. One switches on, showing me Blackwater.

"'ello Cayden. Feeling alright?" he says. I grit my teeth in anger.

"You….You killed her. YOU KILLED CORA!" I shake my body, but pain shotguns blasts all over it.  
"AAAAAHHHHH!"

"Now now. No need to throw a tantrum. Move anymore and the pain will grow far worse and ruin everything." he says as I gasp for air.

"W-w-what are-are you t-talking about?"

"I think it better to not tell you. So, my boy. How are you?" I want answers. I demand answers. I won't answer these stupid casual questions.

"Why?" I ask.

"What?"

"Why did you do this to them? To me?"  
"Forgive me old chap. But we do this for the greater good."

"How's turning my best friends into BRAIN DEAD SLAVES FOR THE GREATER GOOD!?"

"Very well. I will admit, we do owe you a great debt. One best be repaid right now. Do you know how many Off Day Crew members are left?" I think about it for a moment.

"...A lot. I met a lot of damn good Off Day Crew members."

"I'm afraid not my dear boy. There are none left. There are no more that can keep up the good fight." My eyes widen. The possibilities of something terrible happening to all of them is sky high.  
"You. You killed them all. Didn't you? You experimented on all of them. They all died like those Octolings that invaded my apartment. Testing this brainwashing shit."

"Oh no no no Cayden. We were far past the testing stages to ever experiment on Off Day Crew members. The reason they were wiped out are because of these."

The screens show me a Saiju. Then it shows me the Saiju that spawns out mini Saiju. Then there's a picture of a whole new one. This one has three heads, flying, metal riveted all over its body, and what looks like a metal trash can shooting missiles. Another picture appears. Showing me another Saiju with freakishly long webbed fingers and long arms and using them to fly. Another one shows a Saiju's head with a giant ancient octopus body and its mouth shooting out a thin ray.  
"Are those-"

"Yes, my dear boy. Leviathans. Or "Saijus" as you call them. These attacks grew worse, until all members of the Off Day Crew were wiped out. Killed each and every last one. It was out of our hands. You are the last free member. You know the Leviathans that you always fought? We fear they're only the beginning."

"Beginning?"

"Yes. Our leading scientists hypothesis that the reason Saijus that you've fought were a prelude to what's to come. Larger, stronger, and different than the last."

"Then why don't you just get the freakin' army?"

"We cannot utilize our military."

"Why?"

"Because the public must never know about the Leviathans. Do you think it wise for us to break the peace we fought so hard for in the Great Turf War? To let the people know there are worse things than Octarions? To know boogeymen are real; ready to break in and kill them gruesomely at anytime? No. If we utilize the army, the public will know something's up. And social media is the tongue-eating louse that spreads the plague of fear up and down the people's throats. Full scaled anarchy will reign upon us. Dooming us to being overrun by Leviathans. We must fight this discreetly as possible. Splatisfaction will help us. With your help, we may be able to completely destroy the Leviathans."

I can't believe this. All this bullshit and horror. All because the government are a bunch of oversensitive cowards. All guys and gals in black doing horrible things in the shadows.

"You won't get away with this."

"Funny. Those were your friend Leo's last words." I struggle as much as I could, but it's useless.

"Please do not struggle. We spent days preparing for this."

The drugs begin to wear off. My back hurts so much more than before.

"What did you do to me?"

"Hmm. I regret to inform you, but we have successfully cut your back open." My eyes widen. I instinctively try to turn my head, but the brace keeps me from doing it.

"To be more specific, we're still installing the mechanical spine in your back. We call it the Leader Node." I hear the machines doing something behind me. The pain on my back explodes in horrifying pain. I scream on top of my lungs.

"Have no fear my boy. We'll give you the sedatives once we attach the nerves of your back onto the Leader Node. A delicate procedure. Do hold still or else it'll take four times as long to finish." I scream and cry. The pain is indescribable. I fall unconscious only to wake up a second later from a sharp, stabbing pain. Agony doesn't describe one one millionth of what I'm feeling right now. Minutes of horrifying suffering feel like an eternity to me. I'm in Hell. I'm actually in Hell. It has to be.

"Excellent my dear boy. Inject the sedatives." appendages with needles lower from the ceiling and jab into my neck. This horrible agony slowly turns into a burning sensation on my back, but I can still feel the pain.

"Feeling better?" Blackwater asks. I could barely talk. My mouth's drooling, but I can't really close it. My eyes won't focus. I try to say something, but I'm too exhausted. My throat is raw for screaming so hard. It aches so much, but it's nothing compared to how I feel throughout my body.

The door opens with Nadine, Sarah, and Leo walking in. I look at the blank stares on my friends. Only now do I notice the metal plates embedded into their heads. I try to call out their names, but I couldn't.

"I feel that it's only proper for you to see your friends before the procedure is complete."

Anger builds up inside me enough to force myself to speak.

"Y-y-y-you're sick. You're insane. You ens-s-s-slaved my friends. K-k-killed C-C-C-Cora!"

"Ahh yes. Cora. She's a smart one. Though she has difficulty following simultaneous commands. Sometimes I have to repeat my order or order her directly." What is he talking abou-. No. Not Cora.

"No. You didn't."

"Number 4. Come in now." The doors open to reveal Cora. Her eyes are as blank as everyone else. She wore the same uniform, along with an empty smile.

"Oh Cora." I said crying. She then walks towards me. I see the metal plate in the back of her head. Part of me wants to be happy she's alive, but this is horrifying. It pains me to say that she's better off dead than a zombie slave. She's nothing, but a porcelain doll. All my friends came closer too.

"Cora." I whimper. I want to hear her voice again. Her sweet, kind, cheery voice again. But now it's all gone.  
"Ahh excellent. The Leader Nodes are working. They seem to be gathering around you." Suddenly the other T.V screen turns on to show the Grizzco logo in the black background.

"The Hell is this ya freaky jellyfish!?" said a voice. I know this voice. It's Grizzo.

"Ahh. Mr. Grizz. Excellent for you to join us." an uncomfortable silence hangs between them.

"Damn it. Ya said he'd be under fer this."

"Unfortunately, the higher ups have decided to allow us to install the Leader Nodes in him."

"That ain't right! The Leader Nodes ain't been tested yet!"

"Calm down now ol' chap. You've grown a tad too affectionate towards young Cayden." I hear growling coming from Grizzo.

"Blackwater. Git yerself outta here. I got somethin' ta say ta him."

"Alright then. My tea is waiting for me anyhow. I do dislike cold kelp tea. I must say Mr. Grizz. Do not take too long. I shall be back." the T.V with Blackwater on it shuts off. I'm alone with all my friends. Pumped full of drugs and in barely managable pain.

"Kid." said Grizzo. I hear some strain in his voice. "I'm sorry. I really am."

"You really think I want an apology from you? You think an apology will undo all this!?" Grizzo's silent for a moment.

"I didn't want it ta end like this."

"How the Hell did you want it to end Grizzo!? Me endlessly working for you until I'm old and useless!?"

"I'm sorry kid. Wish sayin' that a trillion times would fix this. I wanted ta get ya out of the Salmon Running business for a long, long time."

"Fantastic job Grizzo." I said with more spite than sarcasm.

"I started this business for revenge kid. This was all about revenge. Then the government took over everythin'. It's got outta my hands kid. All I wanted was paypack on those Salmonid bastards." I sense how bad Grizzo feels about this, but he makes me sick now. I bet there's some extra stuff he isn't telling me.

"You knew the entire time what happened to my friends. Didn't you?"

"Yeah. Yeah I did."

"Why? Why are we the ones suffering?"

"It's cause y'all are too good. Ain't no one as good at Salmon Run as Splatisfaction."

"Is that why this is happening!? Because we're that good!? Is that the reason you made our lives a living Hell! We were just kids Grizzo! Heck, we are still kids!" Grizzo didn't say anything for a bit. I cry so damn badly.

"What's the point of this suffering?" I sob. "What's the point of all of this?"  
"Ta make Saiju killin' easier. That's the whole point of this project. Of all yer sufferin'." I glare at the screen. My friends begin touching my face. For a moment I thought they're back to normal, but they give me the same blank expressions.

"Tell me Grizzo. Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Rusty Rig. Did you know that Saiju would come?" Grizzo doesn't answer.

"Answer me!" I shout. A deep sigh comes outta the speakers.

"I tried ta warn you. Fakin' the fact my sensors were actin' strange."

"Just give me a yes or no Grizzo."

"...Yes." Rage build up inside my chest.

"Did you also know I would face multiple Saijus at once? Was that why the coms weren't working? To make me and my crew fight them?"

"...Yes."

"And when I fought that Saiju with the mini-Saiju inside it. Same reason?"

"...Yes." I became so angry. I felt the rage making me want to vomit all over the floor.

"...How could you? How could you do this to us?"

"I did it under orders. Ta test ya out. Ta see how damn good ya were."

"So...you're saying that all of this was going to happen either way?"

"...Yeah. I'm sorry." Part of me believes that Grizzo didn't want this to happen. He's my only hope out of this.

"Grizzo. If you're really sorry. Get us out of here."

"I can't."

"Please Grizzo. It's not too late. We'll forgive you for everything if you do."

"I couldn't do it even if I wanted."

"Grizzo. Please. Help us." I say in desperation. I feel my last hope fading away.

"I'm sorry kid. I really am. As much as I wanna. I can't." The screen comes on showing Blackwater sipping tea.

"Good news. Tests show that the Leader Node is working far better than anticipated. Now, it's time to install the last piece of this fine puzzle." I look up to see three metal plates on steel appendages lower and move to the back of my head. I feel the head brace changing positions to expose the back of my head.

"NO! PLEASE NO! STOP!" I panic. .

"Grizzo! Please! You can't let them do this! You can't!" I scream. I've never been more scared in my life. More than the Saijus ever could.

"I'm sorry kid. I really am." said Grizzo as his T.V screen turns off.

"NOOOOO! GRIZZO! GRIZZOOOOOOOOO! HEEEEEEELLLLP!"

"Not to worry Cayden my boy. You'll be fine. You'll be playing Salmon Run with your friends again. Splatisfaction will be back together and far more powerful than ever."

"No! NOOOO!" I scream. "Leo! Sarah! Nadine! Help me! Cora…."

My friends didn't respond. Cora, the love of my life, stood motionlessly along with them. My desperate pleas couldn't even reach them. The appendages put the devices on my head.

"Please! I'll do anything! ANYTHING! I'll take the job back! I won't complain anymore! I'll even work for free! Don't do this! PLEEEEEEASE!" I start sobbing.

"Sorry old bean. You should've known better than to quit." this bastard's cheery and casual tone scares me even more. "Ready the installation of the Control Emitter."

Two more appendages lower in front of me. Both are needles with some sort of computer chip on the tips. The each needle went up my nostrils.

"It's like this Cayden. Your brain will always be connected to your friends. You should be happy. Look." My friends and Cora gazes at me with their blank smiles and empty eyes.

"They're already reacting to the Leader Nodes. Once we install the Control Plates and Control Emitters. Everything will be fine. The Plates and Emitters will be injected straight into your brain simultaneously and instantly. We're getting ready soon. Do you perhaps want to see it coming or do you want it to suddenly happen without warning?"

I stop listening. I look at the most important people in my life. My love and my dearest friends.

"Alright then. We won't say anything. Thank you Cayden my boy. It's been a privilege and an honor. I look forward to working with you more. Cheerio." And then the screen goes black.

I stare into my friend's eyes. This is the end and this isn't the reunion I wanted, but it's good enough. I'm satisfied. Whatever's left of my tears are now tears of happiness. We're together again and I'll be with them. Always. Now and forever. That's what makes me happy. I give them a smile back.

"Leo, Sarah, Nadine, Cora. Don't know if you guys can hear me, but I love you all. I love you all so much. I always have and always will."

KERCHINK

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! MYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY BRRAAAAAAAAAaaAAAaaaAAANNNNSSSSSSSALAKWLA! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! WWWOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEHHHHHH! GLAAAAAAAAAAAH! AAHHH! WAASGHSALDSLAN! LAAAHGGH! ALKASASAAA! AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...Ahhhhhhhhh…...Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh…...…...ahhhhh…..haaahhhh…..ah….ah…...ahh…...aaahhhh…...….Ahh…...


	18. Epilogue

Amy sits at the table with one of those patio umbrellas. Crusty Sean recently set that out. Sean only has that, because his sister got it for her birthday and didn't want it. Sean gives Amy her melon shake as she continuously makes a phone call. Amy thanks him as she grows increasingly upset at her phone.

"Hey!" said Jimmy. He comes over to sit next to her. She doesn't really pay attention to him.  
"Still nothing huh?" he says with a mild look of concern. Amy frustratingly gives up calling as she tosses her phone a foot away from her and sips her shake.

"Cora hasn't answered her phone for the past few month." said Amy. She rubs her face while Jimmy rubs his neck in frustration.  
"Have you called anyone? Police? ? Family?" said Jimmy. Amy gives him a annoyed look.

"You really don't know her at all do you?"

"What?"

"Ugh. I can't call her family, because she's homeless."

"Oh. Oh!" Jimmy looked away surprised and embarrassed. He knew Cora for over a year and he never knew that.

"Yeah idiot." Amy says as she sucks down her shake. "Ugh. I'm so pissed I can't even drink this."

"Sweet! May I?" Jimmy said as he takes the shake and drinks it. Amy smacks him in the head.

"YOU INSENSITIVE ASS!" she yells as she gets up and stomps away. Jimmy has seen her angry before, but not this angry. He chases after her.  
"Amy wait!" Jimmy shouts. He grabs her arm, but she shakes him off.  
"Look Amy. I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have taken your shake."

"It's not about the stupid shake!" Amy shrieks. Jimmy is taken aback at first, but holds her hand.

"Amy. I get it. I'm scared for Cora too." Amy tears up a bit and looks away from Jimmy.

"It's just….what happened? She moves in with that Cayden guy and becomes his girlfriend. Then we see less of her. Then she's gone."

"Did you go and check his apartment?"

"Yeah. And guess what? Nothing's there. I asked everyone in that apartment building. Nothing. They all told me to go away, or they never heard of Cora or her boyfriend, or they told me they moved out. Asked the landlord and he said "client privacy" and all that junk." Jimmy scratches his head, thinking about what to suggest.

"Maybe we can ask homeless shelters if they've seen her. You have pictures of her don't you?"

"Tried that too. Nothing. It's like they've vanished." Amy wipes her eyes. She walks back to Inkopolis Square. Jimmy follows. They reach the area and she and Jimmy sit on the floors against the building.

"I knew her boyfriend was bad news." said Amy.

"He can't be all that bad if someone as smart and sweet as her is into him." said Jimmy.

"It's just…..there's no other explanation. He disappeared and soon as she did."

"That can't be the only reason why."

"There's something else about him that rubbed me the wrong way. Like, he's dangerous. He's got that weird aura that he'll kill you if you messed with him. Like he's seen things. You get where I'm going?"

"Not really."  
"Forget it. You're an idiot." she sits there and sighs in frustration.

"You gotta have faith that she'll come through or at least let us know she's okay." Amy is slightly mollified from that. Jimmy gets up and stretches.

"Hey. Let's go play Squid Beat 2. Get your mind off this. At least for now." said Jimmy. Amy sighs and smiles.

"Sure. Let's play. You go first." said Amy. Jimmy and Amy head towards the Squid Beat 2 machine, but wait since three people are using it. As they were waiting, Amy jumps when she sees Cora standing right behind her. She wears a annaki beret, with a blue peaks tee, and cherry kicks.

"Cora!?" she screams. She immediately hugs Cora. Cora slowly wraps her arms around Amy. Jimmy just got on the Squid Beat 2 dance pad. He jumps off and tells the other three people to go ahead of him.

"Oh my gosh! Where were you!? What happened to you!? Are you okay!?" Amy's speaking a mile a minute. Cora doesn't respond. She gives her a big smile.

"Cora! Man you gave us a scare!" said Jimmy as he hugs her with one arm. Cora stiffly leans in for the hug.

"Where have you been? I was worried sick." said Amy. Cora merely smiles. Amy and Jimmy look at each other with concern.

"Cora." said Jimmy. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Grabs them both by the wrists and power walk towards the Grizzco building.

"You think she has a surprise for us?" said Jimmy.

"I don't know." said Amy. She looks at Grizzco with discomfort. Over the few years coming to Grizzco to play Salmon Run, she feels a sense of discomfort. As if the aura of the building has changed from weird, but fun into something concerning. The three head on inside and hear the odd jingle of Grizzco.


	19. Epilogue 2

The Saiju with three heads and fin like wings stomps around the ruins of a human island. Whatever was left after the human destroying flood is now dust under the mighty monster's feet. Curiously the Saiju's three heads look up. It looks at the sky to see five figures in black dropping down. Five harpoons fly straight down in their eyes. All are a direct hit. The Saiju flails around in pain and blindness. Ride rails circle around the area as the five Salmon Runners land on them. The Saiju's three heads gurgle, then randomly fires rays in the air. The rays cut parts of the ride rails as two Runners fall. Two other runners grab their partners midair as the fifth Runner fires another harpoon straight into the Saiju's last good eye. The three headed Saiju continues to thrash violently as it attempts to fly. Two of the other Runners with modified Ultra Stamps grind the rails above the Saiju. Both jump off and slam the hammers in the back of the Saiju. An ear piercing scream erupts from all three heads as the Saiju falls back onto the ground. The other three Runners take out modified Inkstrikes out. The three aim and fire at the exact same time the Inkstrikes straight into the three Saiju's heads. The three heads of the Saiju scream louder as the missiles embed into their skulls. And then complete silence as the Inkstrikes explode. The tornado of ink shredding their heads apart like hot knives on butter. And just like that, the Saiju threat is eliminated with peak efficiency. The five Runners gather together and send the signal that the job is done. The Runners silently wait until further instruction. A ship with the Grizzco logo on it comes close to shore. All five squid jump onto the ship as the ship drives away.  
In a undisclosed location, Mr. Grizz sits at his desk. His room surrounded by monitors. He looks at the five Salmon Runners in his main monitor. They take off their gasmasks to reveal Splatisfactions' empty smiles. They stand in the basement of a different undisclosed location. They stare at the camera Mr. Grizz is looking at. Their empty stares give him the creeps.

"Alright kids. Get in the tubes." he says. Splatisfaction nods simultaneously and silently as they walk to the freezer room. Air from liquid nitrogen blows out the door they're entering.

"Wait, Number 5. Cayden. Kid. Hold up." said Mr. Grizz. The puppet once known as Cayden stops and comes back to stare at the camera. Still smiling.

"Kid. Say something." said Mr. Grizz. Cayden says nothing.

"Parta me knows yer in there somewhere. Part of ya still livin'. The part of ya that hates my guts for what I did. But, can ya call me Grizzo? For old times sake?"

"..." Cayden only gives a emotionless smile.

"C'mon kid. Say somethin'. Anythin'!" said Mr. Grizz almost in a begging tone. Nothing.  
"Forget it. Just get in the freezer." Mr. Grizz said as grabs his face in stress.

Cayden obeys. All of Splatisfaction lay in the cryo chambers. Smiling and waiting for the chambers to seal. All five simultaneously as the doors seals them. Cold air spews from the machines as Splatisfaction freezes.

A red light blinks on the side of another screen. Mr. Grizz sighs in annoyance as he presses a button. A different screen turns on to show Blackwater. His eyes look happy and joyous. Something that annoys Mr. Grizz endlessly.

"Astounding Mr. Grizz! The higher ups are very happy with how the mission went. I will say the experiment is a complete success."

"Whatever." said Mr. Grizz. "So ya just come callin' just to tell me that?"

"Correct Mr. Grizz. The higher ups are very proud with what Splatisfaction has done. They are happy to say that not only will we have our budget increase, we'll receive a full raise." Mr. Grizz grips his hand tightly in anger.

"It ain't about the money." said Mr. Grizz.

"I know. I know. Revenge and all that. Now if you may excuse me Mr. Grizz. It's time for tea." Blackwater hangs up and Grizzo sits there listening to the dial tone. He wished he wasn't rewarded for such an evil act. He looks at the photo of his wife and daughter. All of this. All this suffering he inflicted on those five kids. They are his slaves. And he is their master.

Mr. Grizz turns off the screen for the newly dubbed Splatisfaction's Room. He personally calls it the slave pen. Mr. Grizz pulls out a bottle of an ancient drink. It belonged to humans a long time ago and made of several extinct and unknown plants. Whatever it is, it's extremely expensive and does intoxicate whoever drinks it. Mr. Grizz breaks open the bottle and drinks some. The strength of this drink is painful and strong. It quickly does it work as it numbs his brain and body.

Mr. Grizz takes another swig, this time longer. He slams the bottle on his console. His head is next to slam down. He wants to cry. He wants to cry so badly, but he can't. He feels that if he finally lets himself break, if he finally lets it all out, he's not coming back. He won't be able to pick himself back up. And will decide to finally end it. He stares at the rope with a cement brick in the corner. He thinks about taking them going to the bridge. But he can't. The world needs him and Grizzco. Grizzco needs someone to manage all the anti Salmonid operations. If he were to finally do it, he'd damn the next guy the government brings in. Or worse, let someone like Blackwater run Grizzco. He shudders at the thought. All he can do is keep going and hope that one day, the world will be free of Salmonids. Hoping one day that he'll be free from his hatred towards them. Free from this company. Free from the horror he created. And finally free these kids from the suffering he created.


	20. The End?

Aww jeez. My back's killing me. I stretch out my entire body. Damn does that feel good. I get out of bed, take a shower, put on some of the freshest clothes, and go out to see my friends. I walk all the way to the train stop and got on a train. I kick my feet up and put my arms in the back of my head. I look outside to see the sun rising. Man does it look beautiful. You gotta learn to appreciate the beautiful things in life. Never know when you're gonna miss it. I get off at Manatee Station to see my bro waiting for me there.

"BRO!" I shout.

"BRO!" Leo shouts back. We did our usual handshake. Slap our hands together, shake, spin, and butt crawl. Everyone's staring at, but who cares. He's my bro and I love him.

"Sooooo. Did'ja get the snacks?" I ask.

"Oh yeah. Sarah's gettin' it right now." he said. Speaking of which. Sarah comes out with four shopping bags. Two in each hand. All are filled to brim with snacks. Including Sarah's mouth.

"Weo! WEEEO!" Sarah says with her mouthful of Pockeys. She sticks her head out towards Leo.

"Uuuhhh what is she doing?" I said raising a brow.

"Oh she wants me to do that romance anime thing when a girl has a Pokey in her mouth, then her boyfriend eats the other end of the Pokey."

"But that's alotta Pokey." I said. Leo looks at me with a completely serious look. Agreeing with me with a nod.

"Just go for it." I said with a giant grin. I really want to see what him actually try. Leo looks at Sarah's Pokeys and takes a deep breath. He then tries to open his mouth as wide as Sarah's. He's only able to get at least half of them in.

"C'mon bro! Stretch those jaws! Like you're dislocating it!" I said barely holding in my laugh. Leo actually takes the bottom of his jaw and stretches it as much as possible. I almost see a tear coming out of his eye. Inkling jaws shouldn't stretch like that. After a minute of what looks like excruciating pain, he gets all of the Pokeys in his mouth. Suddenly and somehow, Sarah snaps the bundle of Pokeys in half. Leo had that look he had when a dentist yanks out your tooth. Sarah munches her mouthful of half Pokeys as Leo looks like he's choking. I help him take it all out.

"I... am not... doing that... again." he said as he gasps for air. Sarah gives him a big frown.

"That means you don't love me!" she said giving him a pouty face.

"C'mon Sarah, don't be like that." he said. Sarah puffs her cheeks and turns his back on him with a "hmph".

"Geez. You're such a pain." he said. He spins her around and gives her a kiss. Sarah's closes her eyes, holds his hands, and lifts her leg. Sarah watches too many romcoms. When they let go Sarah giggles to herself.

"I wuv you Leo." she says hugging him. Leo blushes as he pats her head. "NOW CARRY ME!"

She suddenly jumps on him as he tries to carry her bridal style. I laugh my butt off as he tries not to fumble.

"Aww shut up!" he said as he struggles to regain his balance and strength.

"To Wahoo World!" shouts Sarah to the heavens. A baby in a carriage nearby starts crying as we hurry to the train going for Wahoo World.

Me, Leo, and Sarah just debate on who's better. Off the Hook or the Squid Sisters. We stop when Nadine comes in from the third stop.

"Hey Nadine!" said both Leo and Sarah.

"Hey babe!" I said as she plops right next to me.

"Hey guys!" she responds as she gives me a kiss.

"So Nadine." said Leo. "Who do you think is better? Off the Hook or Squid Sisters?"

"I dunno." she said. "I'm more of a fan of Ink Theory."

"Ink Theory? Those guys are kinda meh to me." said Leo.

"They are not meh!" said Nadine. "They're songs are meant for all ages! More adult!"

"And more boring." he said. Nadine was about to argue. Sarah pokes at Nadine's belly.

"S-stop Sarah! That tickles!" Nadine giggled. Sarah moves in closer and pokes faster. Nadine giggles as Leo and I do nothing. We're completely immune to Sarah's weirdness.

"Why're you doing this?!" Nadine laughs as she tries to push Sarah's hands away. My smile fades away. When Nadine said that, my...my head begins to hurt. It's so familiar I can't….The train stops. A familiar face shows up as my headache fades away.

"Cora." I said with a smile.

"Hey Cayden." she said with a brighter smile. She comes up to me and kisses me. Nadine yanks me away

"Hey! He's mine!" said Nadine. Leo and Sarah scootch aside and Cora sits next to me.

"It's okay! We can share Cayden." said Cora as she hugs my arm.

"Noooooo." said Nadine as she does the same. I look back and forth on my girlfriends. Man. It's rough. Having two girlfriends. I love them both equally, but I can't bring myself to break one of their hearts. They both kiss me as the same time.

"C'mon Cora! I've had him first!" said Nadine.

"But you broke up with him!" Cora retorted.

"Only for, like, two days!"

"Two days too late! He's mine now!" Cora says as she yanks my shirt and kisses me in the lips.

"Noooo!" said Nadine as she does the same thing. Only a little more aggressive. They both begin yanking me back and forth yelling things like "He's mine!" over and over. It starting turning into a real tug of war when they begin splitting my favorite shirt.

"Cora! Nadine! Enough!" I said pulling my arm away from the two. They both apologize, but I'm a little pissed off right at both of them to talk to them. I turn my eyes towards Leo and Sarah. They're eating a bag full of chips, watching this like a movie. The train stops and I hop up.

"Welp! Time to go!" I said power walking out.

"WAAAIIT!" Nadine and Cora chase after me. Sarah and Leo follow. After a few minutes of walking and talking we make it to Wahoo World.

"Finally! We're here! We're finally here!" said Sarah while jumping up and down like a kid. Leo puts his arm around her, but she keeps on jumping.

"Wonder if they remember me from the go kart rides?" said Cora.

"I'm pretty sure they have your picture. I mean, you got that kart to go thirty miles per hour." said Nadine. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"That kart's circuits were fried!" Cora and Nadine giggle with each other. Finding that a little funny. I look at my friends then I look at the entrance. It's been awhile since we got together like this. I came here with Cora only, but that's because Leo, Nadine, and Sarah moved far away from me. Well they're back now. It just...it makes me so happy to have everyone together. I...wanted this to happen for so long.

"Bro. You okay?" said Leo. I look at him.

"Yeah. Why?" I ask.

"You're crying." said Sarah. I touch my eyes. Holy crap. I am crying. Why am I crying?

"Cayden." Nadine said with a look of worry. I don't know why but tears are just flowing. My cover my mouth, look down, and hold back my sobbing. Why am I crying? Cora hugs me. Then Nadine.

"It's okay Cayden. Everything's going to be alright Cayden." Cora said hugging me tight. I wipe my eyes and take a quick breath.

"I'm..I'm okay now." I tell them while I feel like I'm calming down.

"The Hell was that, ya crybaby?" said Leo.

"I am not a freakin' baby, you pufferfish!" I yell back.

"Who're you callin' a pufferfish!" Leo yells back. His face is already red with anger.

"Look at your face!" said Nadine while pointing at Leo. "You already proved it to him!"

Leo looks like he's already ready to blow up until Sarah jumps on his back.

"No fighting!" she says. Leo calms right back down.

"K. K. baby." he says kissing her on the cheek. We all laughed a little bit. I look at the entrance of Wahoo World. I stare at it a little bit. Hearing the roller coaster and screams of those riding it. Music from Off the Hook playing. Guys in costumes waving and giving kids balloons. The bright sun shines down on the entrance, almost me with its reflection. Cora and Nadine turn around with their hands extending. Leo and Sarah look back at me with perplexing looks.

"C'mon! I'm hungry!" said Sarah.

"Bro!? What're ya doin'?! Let's go!

"Come on Cayden! Let's go somewhere romantic." said Nadine.

"Let's go back to the go karts!" said Cora. I grin at all of my closest and dearest friends.

"Alright! Alright! Stop yelling! I'm coming!" I said as I walk towards the entrance.

They're all my family. They're all I got. And no matter what happens, no matter what comes between all of us, I'm never letting them go.

 **THE END**

Authors Note: Welp. There you have it. The final chapter to this confidential story. [sorry for the pun]. I'm very happy you all stuck by reading this story I had in my head for a long time. I like to personally thank you all for your support and it makes me extremely happy that you're all so invested with this. As for this ending, perhaps this chapter is real. OR IS IT ALL A FAKE? I'll leave that open to your interpretations.

I don't know whether I want to make a sequel to this or just leave it as it is. Personally, I would like it leave it with its sorrowful and horrifying end. Or perhaps you all want to extend the horror and tragedy of it all? Don't get your hopes up. Right now, I kind of want to focus on my other story (Metroid Legion) that I put on hold in order to focus finishing up Salmon Run: Confidential. Once again, thank you all for reading. Now that it's over, I'm going to get back to playing Splatoon 2. I go by the screen name KingKamina, same as my FanFiction username. Send me a friend request if you manage to bump into me. You'll mostly find me playing Salmon Run, which I love playing. Now if you'll excuse me, those Salmon bastards won't kill themselves.


End file.
